An Inconvenient Marriage Part II
by bluesky5678
Summary: Part II of An Inconvenient Marriage


Well, here is part 11 of An Inconvenient Marriage…..finally. I hope you enjoy it. It contains a couple of things that you have long wished for: Ana having a child and the story having chapter headings so that you can find your way back after bathroom breaks. You know, I have tried chapter headings before and once uploaded, they didn't translate. So, if these look odd….

Also, I am not real confident about my abilities to write realistic children. I did some googling to see how they talk at different ages but it was still a struggle. My friends' children are all grown so none for me to study.

A guest reviewer noted that she/he thinks that Christian carries Ana around too much and that she should be allowed to walk. Well, I just roared with laughter. I never noticed how much I had him toting her here and there….but, yes, I do . Your comment and your LOLs were appreciated. I know that you were teasing me and besides, you're right. I guess _I've_ always harbored a desire to be carry-worthy!

As always, these are E.L. James characters (though I'm not sure that she'd want to claim them as written .

Review only at the end since I publish only completed stories. If you feel the need to comment more and/or before the end, please don't hesitate to PM me. And if the gods of fanfiction mess up my entries again…still so sorry about the mess that was The Arrangement. Some of you found it okay…which is odd…and others had to muddle through. So pleased that you felt that it was worth the trouble…and the blindness.:)

AN INCONVENIENT MARRIAGE

PART II

Prologue

As he stepped off the elevator, Christian slid gracefully to his knees…just in time to catch the whirling dervish dashing into his arms. Christian embraced his son's little body and squeezed him until Trevelyan Grey protested.

"Daddy, you crushing me!" screamed Trev, laughing.

Christian stood up and twirled his son around in the great room of the Escala penthouse until Trev stopped giggling and threatened instead to upchuck his lunch. Then the two fell unto the couch while Christian tried to catch his breath. He grinned broadly at his three-year-old son and began peppering him with questions about his day. Trev then began a long-winded and convoluted recitation of his activities. Christian didn't get most of it but that didn't matter. His little boy was happy. That was all that counted.

"Did you play with your birthday gifts?" prompted Christian.

"Yeah, I play with Uncle Elliot's train and make it crash," bragged Trev. Christian smiled and didn't ask how _that_ happened. Uncle Elliot could always fix it. Christian had warned his brother to get a simple circular set of tracks but Elliot had to get something complex that would take a mechanical engineer to assemble and repair.

"Were you a good boy for Aunt Gail?" Christian asked, while catching Gail's eye.

"Hmmm….yes!"

Gail just chuckled at his fib and went back to fixing dinner.

"You two go wash up. Dinner in ten minutes," she ordered.

Christian rose from the couch with Trev in his arms and carried him off to the bathroom. Then Taylor, Gail, Christian and Trev sat down to dinner together. As always, there was a small battle to get Trev to eat whatever green thing Gail had put on his plate. Like most children, vegetables were not of interest to Trev but Christian was adamant that Trev eat something green for dinner.

After the meal was concluded, Trev picked up his plate and returned it to the kitchen. He stood on his special stool and washed his plate, cup and utensils in the sink. It was important to Christian that Trev be aware of contributing to the household. He had small chores at an age when most children were still unaware of such things. Trev helped to make his bed, hang up his clothes, clean his room and do his dishes and didn't think a thing of it. Gail warned Christian that one day Trev would learn from his preschool mates that they didn't do any of these things and then the shit would hit the fan. Of course, Gail would never say it like that. Trev was a well-behaved little boy and Gail just wanted Christian to be prepared for some rebellious behavior at some point.

He was a very bright child and a very good-natured one, too. In that, he was much like his mother. Not much upset him. He didn't have bad dreams. He didn't fight with other children. So many things delighted him. He had a giggle that sounded just like Ana's had. The sound simultaneously cheered Christian and broke him a little. The heavy weight he carried inside his heart was only eased by the excited squeal of his son when they reunited after a time apart. Christian doubted the existence of a supreme being but still found himself giving thanks to one whenever he held his little boy…his raison d'etre. He had a healthy, adorable child and so he kept going.

For a couple of hours after dinner, Christian devoted his time to his son. They played games. They wrestled. They watched movies. They played downstairs in the building's pool. Trev was already a good swimmer. That would have pleased Ana. She had worried about living on the Sound with a dock on the water. Christian could never bring himself to move into that house without her so it sat empty, collecting dust.

At Trev's bedtime, Christian would help him wash up, brush his teeth and put his clothes in the hamper. Trev would stand several feet back from the hamper and toss his balled up shirts and pants into it like he was dunking basketballs…shouting, "This one's for Aunt Gail." This always made Christian laugh. Then there would be a bedtime story. Sometimes it was a book from Trev's growing library and sometimes it was a story from Christian's imagination.

And sometimes, Trev would ask for a story about his mommy.

Then Christian would kiss his boy goodnight, close the curtains and switch on the nightlight. After he was sure that Trev was settled down for the night, he would close the door and go downstairs to say goodnight to Gail and Taylor. Then he'd get back into the elevator and head down to the garage, on his way to spend the night with his girl. His other raison d'etre.

CHAPTER 1

THREE YEARS AGO

Christian saw the doctor's mouth moving but he couldn't hear much through the fog in his brain. He was in shock. He caught certain words. Aneurysm. Brain bleed. Preemie.

They took him to see his baby boy, Trevelyan. He was so tiny in his incubator. They cautioned him not to worry too much. Despite being 5 weeks early, Trev was strong. He just needed to stay in the hospital until his lungs were better developed. He was going to live.

Then they let him see his wife. She was still. White against white sheets. Her face distorted by the tube hanging out of the side of her mouth. There were lines coming out of her arms as well. He heard the word. Critical. He was warned to "be prepared for the worst".

It was important, they said, that he spend as much time as possible with his son. The baby needed to hear his father's voice, to feel his father's hands. There was nothing he could do for his wife, they said. So, he spent four weeks letting his son hold his finger with his own tiny hand. He gently rubbed his baby's belly. He sang to him. He talked to him. He watched as his son grew a little, a day at a time, until one day he was told that Trev could go home.

Grace had made arrangements. She'd turned a room into a nursery. She'd decided that Gail would be the best possible nanny so Gail interviewed and then hired another housekeeper to do all of Gail's chores except for cooking. She insisted on being in charge of feeding everyone. She was honored to care for Trev. Grace would help as well as Mia. With Kate expecting Ava soon, all hands would need to be on deck.

Christian lived at the hospital. At night he would sleep in a recliner next to Ana's bed. Well, perhaps 'sleep' would be too strong a word. He held her hand and stared at the ceiling. Every day he looked to the doctor for encouraging words but the doctor simply frowned at him with sympathy. He expected Ana to die soon. Brain scans showed little activity.

With Trev safely ensconced in his crib at home, Christian turned his full attention to rejecting the doctors' predictions for Ana. He and Grace tracked down the best doctors and pulled them to Seattle with extravagant salary offers. With Elliot's help, Christian designed the finest rehab centre for coma patients to be found on the west coast. Elliot ceased work on the Ambrosia Lane house and pulled all his crews off all other projects to build the Anastasia Rose Grey Brain Injury Rehabilitation Centre….known simply to most as The Ana.

CHAPTER 2

THE PRESENT

Christian pulled his R8 into his designated spot. As he walked past the reception desk, he acknowledged the greetings of the night staff. He strode at a quick pace down the carpeted hallway lit by the art deco sconces on the papered walls. He waited impatiently for the elevator and entered, pressing the button for the 5th floor. When he exited the car, he looked to the left and right. All was quiet. He continued down the hallway to the wooden double doors at the end. Suite 5A. Ana's home for the past three years. Three years and one week.

It was a spacious suite, more a luxurious hotel accommodation than a hospital room but that was Christian's intention. There was an en suite that Christian used. There was also a small kitchen and dining area. Chopin Prelude 15, Opus.28 was playing quietly through the small speakers mounted on the walls. Ana's favorite paintings were hung here and there as well as pictures of the family, especially her son, Trevelyan. In the middle of the room, facing the door, was a beautiful bed made of burled mahogany. And in the middle of the bed, his lovely sleeping beauty…Ana.

Christian smiled as though she could see him. He began speaking to her immediately. His bright hello spoken as if she could hear. She _could_ hear, he preferred to believe. He had brought along a large bouquet of lilacs to fill the room with their exquisite fragrance. The brilliant doctors he employed had told him that scent could stimulate Ana's brain. Christian put them into a vase and placed the vase on a nearby marble topped table. He noted the monitors, lit up with Ana's brain activity. Twice in the past three years, early on and then last year, it appeared that her brain was shutting down. However, she had rebounded from that and the monitors of late had been showing that her brain activity increased when Christian was there. Looking at the brightly blinking lights raised his spirits. She was coming back. He just knew it. If he didn't believe it, he would have only Trev to keep him from driving his R8 off the nearest cliff.

His family wondered how he could keep going. He worked all day at his company, Grey Enterprises Holdings, spent every evening with his son and all night with Ana. In a corner of the suite there stood a large antique wardrobe that matched the bed. In it were all his work clothes. Once a week the new housekeeper, Bess, would come by to pick up his clothes to be cleaned and then returned to the wardrobe. She did this during the day, of course, and had initially found it rather creepy… coming into the room, hearing the soft music, and seeing the living corpse, as she saw it, lying in the big bed. As she grew accustomed to her duties, however, she became fond of Ana…a woman she knew only from photographs and household gossip. Even as Ana lay there, frozen and mute, Bess could see that she was a beauty. She, herself, got into the habit of greeting the sleeping woman and talking to her as she went about her work. Bess took it upon herself to see that the entire suite was kept up to snuff. She would dust and polish and straighten and then bid her mistress goodbye. So sad, she thought.

Christian would settle in the chair next to Ana and talk to her, sing to her, read to her for hours. He noted that the lights on the monitors seemed to dim a bit when he stopped. He wondered if he imagined that. He would tell Ana everything about Trev so that when she woke up, she would be up to date on her son. He would share some of the world news with her. He would read to her, choosing one of his hundreds of first editions from their library. He had moved a small keyboard into the room and he would often play for her. Sometimes he would sing as well. He told her, laughing, that when she woke up, she'd probably tell him to shut up and let her talk for a while. Oh, god, yes. To hear her voice again…

He always used the remote to raise her bed so that she was sitting up a bit. He would often sit on the bed with Ana leaning against him as he read to her. Then he'd wrap his arms around her and tell her how much he loved her and missed her.

"Please come back to me soon, Ana. I'm trying to hold on but the weight inside me seems to grow heavier. I need you so. I know that it's hard for you. I know that you're trying to wake up. You know that I'll never give up, never leave you. Remember….you promised me that you would never leave me either. I'm holding you to that promise, Ana. I love you. I love you."

Sometimes, the morning nurse would find him still holding Ana. Sometimes, he would be lying next to her with his arm around her. The hospital had rules, of course, but they certainly didn't apply to the man who had built The Ana.

Worried that Ana would feel alone and bored during the day, Christian had ensured that someone would spend time with her throughout the day, reading to her. Of course, she wasn't unattended all day. Physical therapists spent hours with her, working her arms and legs, massaging her hands, her neck…all so that she would be mobile when she woke up. There were cameras in the suite, of course, that Christian could use throughout the day to check on Ana. He chuckled sometimes when he thought of what she'd say if she could comment.

"I don't need watching 24/7, Christian. I don't need a CPO to protect me. I need some privacy."

Thank goodness she didn't know about the CPO posted outside her room at all times. She was a sitting duck…should the Hyde boys decide to take advantage. Of course, no one could even get past reception without proper identification.

Christian was somewhat comforted to know that Adolf and Conrad were serving long sentences for attempted murder in a maximum security facility but they had never revealed their employer…still insisting that firing on random cars on the freeway was their own idea. No one believed them. The late unlamented Doreen Hyde had more or less confessed to the attempts on Ana's life but there were still questions. Where had she gotten the money to pay Adolf and Conrad? How, indeed, had a housewife even found a couple of killers?

Sometimes, Christian would jar awake in the middle of the night, imagining that he heard men coming into the room to kill Ana. For a couple of years now, Ana had been able to breathe on her own which eased Christian's worry somewhat. No one could pull a plug. Each and every person in The Ana had been vetted by Taylor, including visitors to the other patients. And, of course, there was always her CPO. However, he was only human and might fall asleep.

Reassurances from the staff that alarms would begin shrieking should any plugs be pulled somewhat mollified Christian's concerns. He'd also had every person who came into contact with Ana sign an NDA. He was the boss here at The Ana just as much as he was at GEH. Feared…respected…and obeyed.

CHAPTER 3

Mornings were the worst for Christian. He would be holding Ana's body or just her hand and dreaming lovely dreams. Then he would wake and realize that nothing had changed. The anxiety and pain in his chest would clench around his heart as he fought to face reality. He would bury his face in his palms, panting and crying. The nurses had learned to stay out of Ana's room until Christian left in order to give him his grieving time. And he always grieved.

After some time had passed, he would pull himself together, take a shower, dress and kiss his wife goodbye. Then he'd take a deep breath and leave the room, quietly closing the door behind him as if he didn't want to disturb Ana. Down the hall, into and out of the elevator and a brief goodbye to the morning reception staff as he left the building. It was then that he desperately needed to see Trev.

He'd drive, too fast, to Escala, arriving in time to wake his little boy. For all Trev knew, his daddy had been there at home with him all night and that was how Christian wanted it. He help Trev get washed up, brush his teeth and get dressed for the day of a three year old boy. Now that he was old enough, Christian could begin to take him to the daycare at GEH for the morning. They could have lunch together and then Taylor would strap him into his car seat for the trip home to Escala where Aunt Gail was waiting. Christian would go back to his 30th floor office for meetings, teleconferences, and reviews of endless paperwork….the necessities that paid for his very expensive lifestyle and kept over 40,000 employees around the country in their jobs. Before Ana, his work had been his life. Now, that was a ridiculous idea. All that mattered was his family.

Sometimes he would sit in his chair and just stare out the window…remembering. Las Vegas and the Tiniest Wedding Chapel. The battle to win over his parents. A time when his biggest worry was Ana's asthma attacks instead of a coma. Her laughter, silliness, Frisbee battles with Mia. How she could take his breath away whether she was wearing sweat pants and a t-shirt or a ball gown. And the love…so much love. How he couldn't keep his hands off of her. How badly he needed just to touch her, to have her touch him. How he longed to feel her hands in his hair again and see the sweetness in her blue eyes. It was those days that he told Andrea to put everything on hold and he would have to go to see Ana, if only for an hour. And he'd cry at her bedside because he so badly needed to see her eyes again.

It was one of those days when everything changed.

Christian had been consumed all afternoon with intense negotiations with a Beijing firm that wished to contract with him for an important piece of technology. Other companies had been working on the product but Beijing had gotten it right first and GEH had gotten to Beijing first. The only obstacle had been that the Chinese were so difficult to handle. They were notoriously suspicious of Westerners' motives. All of their vetting had shown that GEH was a highly reputable company…undoubtedly their best shot at a good and honest deal. Still, dealing with the West always made them nervous and they needed endless confirmations that they weren't making a mistake. Thus, it was incumbent upon GEH to delicately and firmly impress the Chinese with their trustworthiness.

Christian chuckled to himself that it was much like trying to convince Trev to eat anything green. Trev would listen to his father's arguments and give him the side-eye before finally agreeing to eat a floret of broccoli. Christian never lost patience with Trev over this issue because it was much like arguing with Ana. Both usually wound up eating a few florets just to please Christian.

The day ended with watching the Chinese smiling and bowing through a 30 inch monitor. They promised to talk with each other some more and return with hopeful news in a few days. Ros and Christian praised their patience and diligence, smiling and bowing with respect in return. Of course, as soon as the monitor was off, they were throwing papers in the air and cussing. How the hell did the Asians get anything done?!

With this frustration wearing on him, Christian needed to see Ana before he went home to his little boy. So, he left the office at 4 pm and headed straight for The Ana. Taylor opted to wait in the car. The less of his boss's temper that he had to deal with, the better.

Christian tore through the reception area without a greeting, up in the elevator and past Ana's CPO without a word. Then, as if she could hear him, he paced back and forth in front of her bed roaring out his displeasure with not getting his way. Before her coma, Ana would listen to these tirades and try mightily to stifle her laughter but she never fooled Christian for long. Then he'd try to convince her of the seriousness of his plight by running around slamming doors but he only made her lose complete control and soon she'd be rolling on the floor laughing hysterically. Never did his temper scare her. It scared everyone else in his world but not Ana. Soon, he'd give up and sit on the couch, catching his breath and eyeing his wife furiously for not taking him seriously. When she'd finally calmed down, she'd get up off the floor and crawl into his lap.

"Put your arms around me," she'd say. "Tighter."

He'd do as he was told and then she'd sigh, breathing gently on him. He'd feel his whole body relax and the pain in his head disappear as she nuzzled against him. What was he so upset about again? He'd forget. It mustn't have been important. He'd wonder if they had time for a make-out session before dinner.

Today, as he wore a path in the carpet, swearing a blue streak about Chinese stubbornness, he glanced automatically in Ana's direction and saw a pair of brilliant blue eyes looking at the ceiling. He stopped. He was afraid to move. To breathe. To believe.

He swiveled ever so slightly to directly face Ana. She was lying down, of course. Perhaps it was a trick of the light. He leaned down just a bit to press a button at the foot of the bed, one of several that controlled the height and recline of the mattress. He pressed UP and watched as Ana rose almost to a sitting position. She was leaning back slightly and her eyes were still open. He hadn't imagined it. He was terrified.

The doctors had told him once that there could be times when Ana would open her eyes. They called it "unresponsive wakefulness syndrome" and said that it meant nothing. The patient, they said, was still in a coma.

Christian walked slowly around to the side of the bed and sat in his usual chair, pulling it closer to Ana's side. He carefully lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it. Her head didn't turn but her eyes blinked. He kissed her hand again. Again she blinked. This time her eyes turned just a bit to watch her hand. He kissed her palm and held it to his cheek. Her eyes rose a bit to the hand against his face. Then he distinctly saw her eyes open a bit wider when he realized that tears were sliding down his cheek. He could have sworn that her hand leaned in a little as if to comfort him. Was he wrong? Oh, please, god in whom I don't believe, please let this be real, he prayed.

Keeping her hand on his cheek, he dared to speak.

"Ana? Do you hear me? If you do hear me, can you give me a sign? Maybe blink once? He demonstrated blinking. He couldn't know what she understood.

It seemed as if minutes had passed but she did blink. Perhaps though because her eyes were dry.

He asked again. "Please blink again, Ana." This time it was only a moment until she blinked. Then she closed her eyes and sighed.

"No. No. Don't go away again. Ana, please come back," Christian begged. It seemed an eternity but she opened her eyes again. This time not wide open but sleepily. He smiled. "You can go back to sleep if you need to, but blink to promise that you'll open your eyes again soon," he asked.

She closed her eyes. He held her hand and waited. Oh, lord. If that was it. If that was all, he might die right there.

Then, with effort, she opened her eyes again, blinked once, and then closed them again. Christian held her hand and wept.

CHAPTER 4

Trev stood before the elevator doors, waiting. It seemed to him that it was past time for his daddy to come home. Gail watched sympathetically from the kitchen. It was 15 minutes after 5 o'clock and Christian was reliably home at 5pm.

Her phone rang.

"Hi, honey. Sorry to be late. The boss had a bad day and was really on a tear when we left GEH at 4 pm. He wanted to come right over to The Ana and he's still in there. I'm a little nervous about interrupting him. I'm going to call up….oh, wait a minute. Ryan's calling. I'll put you on hold."

Gail waited patiently. Christian had been late before when he felt the need to see Ana before he came home but not at all in the past year since Trev had learned to tell time. He knew that the little hand on the 5 meant that the elevator would ping and Daddy would walk out.

"I'm back. Ryan says that he peeked in the room and saw Christian holding Ana's hand and crying. I'm worried but maybe it's just that his day went so badly and he's exhausted. Tell Trev that his daddy hasn't forgotten about him, okay?" said Taylor.

"Okay. Don't rush him, Jason."

"Don't worry, honey. I'll leave him be until he's ready. See you when I see you."

"Trev, dear. Daddy got held up at the office in a meeting. He can't wait to get home and he'll be here just as soon as he can get away," Gail reassured her little boy.

Trev sighed and grumped a bit but went back to playing with his trainset. Uncle Elliot had repaired it again but with Trev's penchant for train crashes, it would need repairing again soon.

Gail watched him from the kitchen and felt odd. Now, what, she asked herself, is eating at me? Her intuition told her that something was different but she didn't have a clue what it could be. What if something bad had happened with Ana? No, she told herself, don't think that way. Christian was hanging on by a thread as it was. The doctors had recently told him that Ana was something of a miracle in that she was still alive and had brain activity. Christian had tried, she could tell, to take that as good news but the poor man was so tired out physically and mentally. Sometimes, she wondered if it wouldn't be better if Ana did die so that Christian could begin to let go and move on from this purgatory in which he lived. Then again she knew that Ana's death would not ease his pain. It might only leave Trev without a father. There seemed to be an invisible tether tying Christian and Ana together.

When her first husband, her first love, had died, Gail had thought of suicide every day for more than a year. After that first anniversary, her heart had settled into a mere mire of dull misery. She kept going but there was no joy in life. She had just accepted that and gone on, trying to find peace. When she met Jason Taylor that first time he stepped off the elevator and she felt something, she was confused. She had been madly in love with Bill Jones. Her heart wasn't ready for another love. It had taken her months to accept that she had tender feelings for Jason and over a year to realize how badly she wanted him. For his part, he said that he'd known immediately. Even before he stepped into Mr. Grey's study for his interview, he knew that he'd do anything to get the job. It was where Gail was and he wanted Gail.

Could Christian go on as she had, she wondered? Somehow, she didn't know why she knew this, but she knew that Ana was Christian's soulmate, his only soulmate. There would be no other. She'd gotten so lucky with Jason but, no, she didn't think that luck would be good to Mr. Grey. She stood in the kitchen for a minute and said a prayer to the god that she believed in, begging for Ana to be okay. Don't bring Christian to his knees, Lord, not like this.

CHAPTER 5

Ana had looked tired so Christian didn't do his usual reading to her. She needed to sleep. He lowered her bed to a total recline and then he removed his shoes and his belt. He crawled in bed with her, lying with his arms around her shoulders and her body leaning back against his chest. He kissed her head and whispered that he'd be right there with her when she woke. He decided to wait to tell the staff what had happened. He didn't want them all poking and prodding at his wife right now.

Taylor, who'd been waiting all this time, saw Reynolds arrive for his night shift.

"Check on the boss. Call down to let me know what's going on," he ordered.

Several minutes later, Reynolds checked in to say that the boss had climbed into bed with his wife and appeared to be sound asleep. Ryan was going to his car to go home. Did Taylor want either of them to do anything? No, Taylor replied. Call it a day.

"Hi, honey, it's me again. I'm on my way home. Grey must have had a really bad day. He's sleeping with Ana and I'm on my way home. I hope Trev isn't going to be too upset with this change in his routine."

"I'm afraid that he's already confused but I'll try to settle him down. Can't wait to see you, love." Gail rang off and glanced over toward Trev. She had a sudden sense that everything was about to change in Trev's world.

"Trev, sweetie, come to dinner. I made mac and cheese for you and then you can help me make a little chocolate cake. Daddy's been held up at work and is going to sleep at the office tonight."

"Daddy not coming home?" There was a tremor in Trev's voice.

"It's okay, Trev. Everything is all right. I know that this is unusual but nothing is wrong except that Daddy's work was really hard today. You'll see him tomorrow. Taylor is on his way and can't wait to see you. He wants to play trains. Can he play with you tonight?" Gail hoped that she was detouring Trev but the look of confusion on his face told her no. She was afraid that if she put her arms around him that he'd fear something was really wrong so she tried to continue to be casual.

The elevator pinged and Trev ran to it, bursting into tears when Taylor got off alone. Taylor picked him up and asked him to understand that Daddy just had to work. Truth to tell, he was a little peeved at his boss for not even calling. It really wasn't like Mr. Grey to let his little boy down like this. Trev clung to Taylor's neck.

He had to be persuaded to eat his mac and cheese but Gail giggled and said that he could get away with not eating anything green since Daddy wasn't home. She had to smile when Trev insisted on eating salad because that is what Daddy would want.

Gail hoped that Mr. Grey called before Trev's bedtime. He was one disappointed little boy.

Christian woke suddenly. Grabbing his phone he saw that it was late…too late to call his son. He could only imagine what Trev had felt when his father didn't come home or call. The first time in his young life that his dad had let him down. Grey hoped that Trev could forgive him.

He leaned back again and felt Ana ease into him. Was this real? Had his wife really opened her eyes. He was certain that he hadn't imagined it. She'd blinked when he asked her to do so. He had to sleep now. His body was screaming for rest.

CHAPTER 6

Christian woke to the alarm on his phone. Time to get showered, dressed and home to his son. Then he felt something…something familiar. Ana was stirring. Her little body was shifting just a bit. He heard her mumbling…nothing coherent, just noise. It was the way she'd always awakened…before.

Gently, he eased himself out from behind her and lay next to her, leaning over her, propped on his hand. Ana's head was moving side to side slowly. He spoke her name and she opened her eyes. They were unfocused but clearly open. He smiled at her. They had awakened together like this so many times. He'd watch until she truly saw him and then she'd smile and touch her lips for a kiss. This time her eyes remained unfocused and she didn't smile but it was enough.

"Good morning, sweetheart. You're so very lovely. Can you see me? Can you hear me?" he plaintively asked. She didn't respond. Then she blinked.

"Did you just blink for me? Please blink again if you understand me?"

She blinked immediately. Christian leaned in…touching his forehead and his nose to Ana's. Then he kissed her lips, softly. When he leaned back, her eyes were still unfocused but he knew that she'd heard him.

"Ana, can you look into my eyes?" He tipped her chin up so that her eyes were directly across from his but still they were unfocused. "That's okay, my love. It's been a long time and I suppose it's hard. Just blink one more time for me, please?"

Ana blinked. Christian beamed and laughed. He kissed her lips, her nose, her cheeks, her forehead and then around to her perfect little ears. He held her face with his free hand.

"I love you, Ana. I love you oh so much," he whispered. He knew that he would have to alert her medical staff but he worried that it might be too much at once for her. He called Reynolds who picked up on the first ring.

"Boss, you all right?" Reynolds sounded very concerned.

"Reynolds, I'm great. Will you please get Ana's morning nurse in here right away?"

A few minutes later, Greta walked in. She was puzzled. Reynolds had said that his boss sounded great. She could only see Grey's back as he sat on the bed, leaning over her patient. As she walked closer, she could see over his shoulder. She could see eyes, stunning blue eyes.

Greta was a professional. On the outside, she was cool as a cucumber. Inside, she was gasping.

"Our favorite patient has opened her eyes, I see," smiled Greta. "Mr. Grey, please step aside so that I can take Ana's vitals. Thank you," she said crisply. Then she picked up Ana's wrist and looking at her watch, she checked her pulse. Then she removed a small penlight from her pocket and checked Ana's eyes. After she looked up at the blood pressure monitor and nodded in satisfaction.

"Well, everything checks out perfectly," she smiled. Looking down at Ana, she said, "Mrs. Grey, you seem to be in fine shape this morning. Are you able to look up at me? Not yet, eh? Well, that's okay. It will take some time to adjust to the light. After all, you've been looking at the back of your eyelids for some time."

"Mr. Grey, what can you tell me about your wife's awakening?"

Christian relayed to Greta everything that had transpired since last evening. He explained that he didn't call anyone right away because he didn't want Ana to be overwhelmed. Greta nodded and said that she would notify Dr. Thompson who should be just getting in for the day. Then she turned to leave. After a moment, she stopped and turned to look at Grey. He thought he saw tears brimming in her eyes.

"I'm very happy for you both, sir," and then she left the room.

Reynolds walked in, said good morning to Ana and asked his boss if there was anything he could do for him.

"Yes, please call Taylor and have him come by. I have to see my son this morning."

Reynolds nodded and went off to make the call. He returned a minute later and said that Taylor would be there in ten minutes.

"Reynolds, did you tell him?" asked Christian.

"No, sir. I figure that's for you to decide. Congratulations, sir. It's been a long time coming."

"Yes. Yes, it has," Christian answered. He sat with Ana and held her hand as she continued to stare blankly ahead. "It's okay, sweetheart, don't be frightened. You aren't alone. You've never been alone."

Dr. Thompson rushed into the room. Professionalism be damned. His favorite patient, the woman who'd inspired the building of this wonderful facility and whose husband funded new research to help so many, was coming back to them. He was almost bouncing as he walked up to Christian. He looked down at Ana and then, shocking Christian, he embraced him. Then he sat on the bed and looked at Ana.

"Nurse has relayed her initial findings to me and they're wonderful. Your miracle of a wife has come through for us again," he beamed. Most coma patients either woke soon after succumbing or died. Others remained comatose for years before their bodies gave up. Dr. Thompson often thought that he was crazy to have chosen comas as his specialty. It was not a rewarding field. Even with Ana awake, he knew that she probably had a long road ahead of her. She might never be the same person her family knew.

"Mr. Grey, it may be some time before Ana is able to see clearly. And it may be some time before we're able to fully ascertain her physical and mental capabilities. However, I know you to be an incredibly patient man. You'll be able to handle it. We won't know for a while how much she'll understand about what's happened to her but I _do_ feel pretty confident about her muscle strength. So much daily physical therapy has kept her stronger than just lying in bed would have done to her."

"How long do you think it will be before she can see clearly. I am so anxious to have her look into my eyes again," explained Grey.

"Again, patience. However, I wouldn't think that it would be more than a few days at most. Nurse said that Ana responded to commands?"

Christian laughed. "Ana NEVER responded to commands…requests, perhaps. Yes, to be certain that she could hear me, I asked her to blink. She did. She heard and understood what I asked," he replied proudly. "She's always been a fighter. You watch, Dr. Thompson, she'll confound us all with her recovery."

Dr. Thompson decided to keep his opinion to himself for the moment. Recovering from a coma after three years was not going to be swift or easy but Mr. Grey didn't need to hear that.

"Ana, I'm Theo Thompson, your main physician. Does my voice sound familiar to you? Please blink if it does."

Nothing. He disguised his disappointment. He indicated to Grey that he should ask the same question.

Christian looked into Ana's unseeing eyes. "Ana, does my voice sound familiar to you? Please blink if it does."

Blink, blink. Christian laughed and beamed at his wife. "Oh, baby, baby."

"Mr. Grey, we're going to want to do a battery of tests on Ana over the next couple of days. Tell her that she's safe with us," Dr. Thompson urged.

"Ana, I have to leave for a while. I have to go home to see our son, Trev. He'll be worried that he didn't see me last night. I'll get him up for school, feed him breakfast and take him over to the GEH preschool/daycare for the morning. I'll get some work done and then have lunch with Trev. After that, I'll take him home for his nap.

"Ana, I've brought Trev to see you every Sunday afternoon since he was a baby. He knows you as his beautiful, sleeping mommy. He knows you, Ana. Here, on my phone, is a picture of Trev as a newborn sleeping on your tummy. I would lay him down and then put your arms around him." Christian opened the gallery on his phone and showed the picture to Ana's unseeing eyes. To his and Dr. Thompson's astonishment, Ana's hand came up and held the phone steady. Her eyes still seemed unseeing but she held the picture in front of her anyway.

"Holy smokes," exclaimed Thompson, "that was amazing."

"That's my Ana," grinned Grey. "Ana, I'll bring more pictures later. You be good today and try to tolerate all the exams the staff will put you through, okay? My amazing, amazing girl."

Christian kissed her soft lips and caressed her face before he stood up. With great effort, he wished her a good day and walked out the door. He couldn't wait to get to Trev.

CHAPTER 7

"Sir, may I ask if something special is happening with Mrs. Grey? You seem ebullient and you didn't come home last night. Trev was pretty upset. He didn't understand the sudden change in his routine. He didn't buy our explanation that Daddy had too much work. He knows that you'd never chose work over him. Sir?"

Taylor deserved an explanation. After everything they'd been through, he was as much family as Gail. However, Christian wanted to talk to Trev first.

"Something _is_ happening, Taylor, but I need to speak first with my son. You understand?" asked Grey.

"Yes, sir. Understood. Is there anything I need to know security-wise?"

"No. At least I don't think so. We're still keeping an eye on the Hydes, correct?"

"Yes, sir, and we also have eyes and ears on Adolf and Conrad. There's been no activity which doesn't mean that we can ease up on our vigilance. It helps a lot that both are in maximum security but they've got nothing to do all day but try to find a way to avenge themselves. And, of course, I'm still concerned about the Hydes. We don't know what Jack is doing to attend to his need for extreme BDSM without The Black Cat."

Elena's BDSM club, The Black Cat, was known for being extreme in its sadism. Only the worst of the worst were members since they weren't accepted anywhere else. The place had been closed after Doreen Hyde killed Elena and, to Taylor's knowledge, nothing had opened to replace it. Christian's security force had been trying to ascertain the solution found by The Black Cat's former members ever since without any luck. A new club had to have been opened and The Black Cat's former members had to be getting their kicks somewhere but it must be deep underground.

"I can't think about any of that right now, Taylor. All I can think of is to talk to Trev."

Taylor noted that Grey seemed almost giddy. Was it possible that Ana had come out of her coma?

Christian was out of the car the second it stopped and running for the elevator. He impatiently pounded on the elevator button. Once in, he did the same with the 25th floor code, leaving Taylor behind. As the doors opened at the floor with Trev's daycare, he called out Trev's name down the corridor. Trev looked up from his Legos to see his daddy almost running to him and so he rushed to meet him.

Christian scooped up his son and whirled him around and then headed to the elevator again. This time he punched in the code for the 30th floor while he hugged his son tightly. As they arrived at the executive floor, Christian ordered his PA, Andrea, to hold all calls and visitors. No interruptions were to be allowed, no matter who came by. Once inside his office, Grey locked his doors and sat down on the couch with his son.

Trev was laughing because his daddy was acting so funny and had such a happy look on his face. He watched his daddy take a deep breath as he began to speak.

"Trev, how would you like to see your mommy's blue eyes?" Christian asked with a beaming smile.

Trev looked up at the pictures on his daddy's office walls and pointed to them.

"No, son. What I'm asking is if you'd like to see mommy's blue eyes in person, not in a photograph. All the times over the years that you've looked at your mommy's face, she's been asleep. Would you like to see her eyes when she's awake?"

"YES!" screamed Trev. "Now? Can we go right now?"

"Not right away. In a few hours, after dinner. I know that it seems like forever. It does to me as well but mommy's doctors have to check her over today first. Then she'll need a nap but after that…." The grin on Grey's face went from ear to ear. To be able to give this gift to his son was everything that he'd hoped for.

"Daddy, that so long. You make the doctors hurry up?" demanded Trev.

"No, I can't but we can go home now and tell Gail and Jason? Won't that be fun?"

"Yes! They be surprised, huh, daddy?"

"They sure will. This will be the best day ever. And you can do the telling, okay? Taylor is downstairs and he'll drive us home for lunch. Do you think that you can say nothing until we get all the way home?" Christian teased.

Trev was bouncing up and down on his father's lap and his frown told Grey that he was going to have a hard time staying quiet for 15 minutes but he nodded that he would.

"Okay, let's go to lunch." Christian heaved a giggling Trev over his shoulder and headed back out to the elevator. He told Andrea to cancel all his appointments and calls until further notice. When they arrived back in the car park, Taylor looked mildly annoyed, especially when Trev began laughing out loud. He squirmed and giggled all the way home and Taylor was about to demand answers…boss or no boss.

As the elevator doors opened to the penthouse, Christian and Taylor stepped out, preceded by a near hysterical Trev screaming for Gail. She came rushing out of the laundry room, alarmed. Things had been strange since yesterday and now Trev was acting crazy.

"Now, daddy?" Trev asked as he jumped up and down. Christian nodded.

"I see Mommy's eyes tonight! Her real eyes! Her eyes open and I see them tonight after the doctors go away!" Trev announced loudly in a tumble of words. Gail wasn't sure if she'd heard correctly. She looked at Taylor who bore the same expression of incredulity on his face as hers. Christian was laughing and beaming and Gail suddenly found herself short of breath. Taylor caught her as her knees gave way and helped her to the couch.

"It a good thing, Gail," said Trev as he patted her cheeks. He ran into the kitchen and returned with a wet towel, covering Gail's face. She pulled the towel down and looked at Christian.

"Ana woke up yesterday afternoon about 4:30. I was on a tear about a business deal and I looked at her and saw her blue eyes. Ana is awake. She's awake. Our girl's coming back to us, Gail," Christian said softly. Gail began to cry. Taylor put his arm around her and rubbed her back. He wanted to start crying, too, but he was a security chief and he couldn't let himself be seen bawling….but, oh lord, did he feel like it. Three goddamn long suckin' years of heartbreak and their beautiful, sweet Ana was finally waking up. He pulled Gail to him so that she could bury her face in his neck and he could bury his face in hers and wouldn't get caught weeping for joy.

CHAPTER 8

"Daddy, come on," urged Trev. "I want see Mommy before she sleep again."

Christian held Trev's hand and held him back. He was fearful that Ana would indeed have gone back to sleep or that Trev's enthusiasm would overwhelm her. They knew so little about how her mind was working now. He now doubted his wisdom in revealing all to Trev. Maybe he'd jumped the gun. He didn't want to disappoint Trev and he really didn't want to scare Ana. As they reached the doors leading into 5A, Christian pulled Trev back to him and squatted down to look his son in the eye.

"Trev, I know that you're excited but we must be quiet and calm when we see Mommy. Do you know what I mean by quiet and calm, Trev?"

Trev studied his father's face for a moment. He was a smart and intuitive little guy. He'd always had to be…growing up with a father in mourning. He was much more aware of his father's feelings than Grey realized. He reached out to touch his daddy's face.

"Not worry, daddy. I not jump or make noises. I be soft."

Grey marveled at his son. He kissed his cheek and crushed his little boy to his chest.

Then he opened the door. Trev looked up in anticipation. His mommy was sitting up in the bed. Her eyes were closed. Trev felt some sadness but he wasn't discouraged. Her eyes were always closed. As far back as he could remember during his three years on this earth, his mommy was asleep…but she was warm and when he lay on her chest, he could hear her heart beat. That wouldn't change today. He released his hold on his father's hand and walked quietly up to her bed. Like he always did, he said hello and asked if he could sit with her for a while. Like he always did, he climbed up onto his father's chair and then onto his mommy's bed. He was getting too big to lie on her chest anymore but he liked to cuddle next to her and his daddy would put her arm around Trev's little body.

Trev knelt on the bed next to his mommy for a moment and then leaned over to kiss her eyes. As he leaned back, Ana opened her eyes, staring straight ahead. His daddy had explained to him that Ana might seem to be looking elsewhere but soon she'd be able to focus better. Trev moved to look directly at Ana. He beamed happily.

"Daddy, you were right. Mommy's eyes sooo blue…the prettiest blue I ever see.

Mommy, you see me?" Trev asked. Ana blinked. Grey hugged his son.

"That's how Mommy says yes, Trev. She heard you. Keep talking to her. Say anything you want," he encouraged.

"Mommy, did you know that I this many years old now," asked Trev, as he held up three fingers. For a moment, Ana didn't react. Then she blinked one tear. Trev reached up and touched the tear. "It okay, Mommy. Everything okay. Daddy and I love you, Mommy."

Trev went on to tell his mother about school, about all the books he'd read, about his train set.

"At one part of tracks, the train go way up a hill and then I make it go real fast so it crashes at the bottom. Uncle Elliot fix it then 'cause I do real good crashes. Every time the train wreck, Daddy roll his eyes," Trev put his hands over his mouth as he giggled. "He call Uncle Elliot and him come fix tracks again." Then Trev laughed hard.

Christian swore that Ana smiled, just a little. Then Trev got a little shy.

"Mommy, can you hold me like when I was little, please?" Ana blinked several times.

Trev curled up with his head in his mother's lap and closed his eyes, sighing with contentment. Grey put Ana's arm around Trev. He could swear that she tightened it on her own. Then he sat on the other side of the bed and picked up Ana's hand, kissing it and touching it to his face. Again, it seemed to him that Ana pressed her hand against his cheek.

The family stayed like this for some time. Trev slept a bit. He hadn't slept well the night before without his daddy to tuck him in and so he was a bit tired. That and all the excitement. Grey felt his own eyes growing heavy. Only Ana stayed awake…so no one saw her tilt her head to look down at her little boy. She had heard everything that he said but she didn't understand a lot of it. The word 'mommy' seemed familiar. That's what the boy had called her. However, everyone else called her 'Ana' so this confused her. She must have two names. She really liked the little boy just like she felt something nice about the man who brought him. She knew the man because he was always there. She couldn't recall how long it had been but as far back as she could remember, the man was always there. There were other people, too, who came and went. Some of them moved her arms and legs around. Others washed her face and hair. It seemed that she was seldom alone. Always, there were people around.

All of them made sounds but she didn't understand what the sounds meant most of the time. The man made a lot of sounds, too, and she had recently begun to know what they were because he said them so often. Love. Ana. Trev. Come back. She tried so hard to figure it all out but it was too much and so she'd retreat to her empty place where there was nothing.

Lately, however, despite her efforts to sleep, she would awake and hear the people. It was dark and noisy. Except for the sounds from the man. His sounds were soft and soothing. She liked when he made sounds. He asked her to blink so she did. She saw colors and shapes now and she couldn't get back to the dark void where she'd been living. She wasn't afraid, though, when the man was there. Sometimes he would be right in front of her and she could see gray orbs.

She wanted to touch the man but her arms were weak. When he pressed her hand to his face, she tried to press back. This, now, was very pleasant. The little person was warm and sweet and the man was holding her hand. Her vision was a bit clearer today and she could see dark, tousled curls on the boy's head. She had feelings that she didn't understand. When the little boy held up three fingers, she felt bad. Why?

Still, she liked lying here with these two people nearby. She felt safe and didn't want to go back to the dark nothing. She closed her eyes and fell asleep…not understanding that she was with her family.

Grey opened his eyes, disappointed to see that Ana had once again closed hers. Well, it was getting late. He had to get Trev to bed. He gently eased Ana's arm off of his son's body and picked up the little boy. He pressed the down button and watched as Ana reclined. Bending carefully, he kissed her lips and whispered good night to his wife.

At the door, he told the night guard to let him know if anything were to happen. Ana was becoming more aware. Grey worried that she would awaken at night and be frightened. Inhalers were in her nightstand and there was a soft, blue light from a nightlight near her bed. True, he was with her every night but not this night. He needed to be with Trev who might also awaken.

He carried his boy down to the car and strapped him into his car seat in the back.

Then he drove him home and put him to bed. He lay down with Trev and held him…fearful that Trev would wake and wonder where his mother had gone. He needed Trev to feel safe. Indeed, Trev did momentarily awaken but felt his father's strong presence and went right back to sleep. All was right with his world.

CHAPTER 9

"Buzz…buzz….buzz.." Christian's eyes snapped open. Where was he? Oh, right. He was sleeping with his son. He carefully leaned over his boy's sleeping form and picked up his phone.

_Mr. Grey_

_Call Reynolds asap_

**Reynolds…problem?**

_Mrs. Grey in some kind of trouble_

_Night nurse with her_

_Can't get answers_

**Tell nurse that I'll be there in 10 minutes.**

_Will do_

Christian rolled off the bed. He was still dressed from the earlier visit to The Ana. He donned his shoes and texted Taylor as he ran down the hall.

**Going to Ana. Something wrong. Trev sleeping.**

Only seconds went by before Taylor returned the message.

_Understood._

_Will alert night guard to watch Trev on monitor._

_Drive you?_

**No. Already heading down to R8.**

Taylor texted Baxter, who was monitoring the penthouse, to turn on the surveillance in Trev's room and to alert Taylor immediately if Trev awoke and was disturbed to find his father gone. Then he adjusted his arm around Gail and hoped that she didn't have to be awakened to console her little charge.

Christian tore out of the garage and drove like a maniac to The Ana. If any cops wanted to stop him at 3 a.m., they'd have to do it at the hospital. However, one of the benefits of hefty donations to the police force was their recognition of his vehicles. They might follow just in case he needed help but they'd never stop or charge him.

He slammed into his designated spot and jumped out without turning off the car. He ran down the hall and called the elevator. As he arrived at Ana's room, he told Reynolds to go down and turn off his car.

Inside he found the night nurse and an orderly struggling with Ana as she thrashed around. Grey immediately knew the nightmare that she was having. She was pushing outward and mumbling. It was Ian again. The nurse and orderly were only making things worse. Grey ordered them to get back as he kicked off his shoes and climbed into bed with Ana. He wrapped his arms around her, cocooning her in his embrace and whispering soothing words to her. Within a minute, she was beginning to calm. The nurse and orderly, both panting after their tussle with Ana, smiled in relief and bid Mr. Grey good night as they left the room. A few minutes later, Reynolds returned, placed Grey's keys on the nightstand and asked if there was anything else he could do. Grey thanked him and said good night. Then he called him back.

"Reynolds, that orderly, did you know him?"

"Yes, sir. We vetted him a few weeks ago. The nurse, of course, I know well. Would you like me to have Welsh do a deeper vet. Frankly, sir, I would like one myself. When it comes to Mrs. Grey, I don't take any chances."

Christian smiled. "Yes, do that. Thanks, again."

Reynolds closed the door behind him and immediately texted Welsh to do a deep vet on John Conner. Reynolds had no reason to suspect Conner of anything untoward but his affection for Mrs. Grey made him uber cautious. In fact, it didn't seem extreme to have Welsh redo the vetting of all of Mrs. Grey's attending nurses, physical therapists, doctors and even the people who cleaned her room. Though all were the same people who'd cared for her since the beginning, it wasn't unheard of for faithful employees to be bribed or extorted into betrayal. Thus, Reynolds texted Welsh to do a recheck of the current crew and their activities, specifically any contact with Adolf, Conrad or the Hydes.

Meanwhile, Christian eased his hold on Ana and moved them both into a spooning position. He thought of what he'd seen as he entered the room. Both attendants had hold of Ana's arms and were, he thought, too roughly attempting to restrain her. Clearly, she was terrified and yet they were trying to force her to lie still. He would be having words with Dr. Thompson in the morning about their methods. He hoped that Trev was okay with being left alone because Grey couldn't imagine leaving Ana alone again. He'd been sleeping with her for three years and perhaps she felt his absence tonight and panicked. At least her breathing was okay. In truth, as dearly as he loved his son, he slept so much better with Ana in his arms.

Someone was in the room with them. No one ever came into the room in the morning until he was in the shower. He opened one eye and saw Greta studying the monitors.

"Everything look okay?" Grey asked sleepily.

"Oh, sorry, did I wake you, sir?" asked Greta.

"I rarely sleep deeply, Greta. What do the monitors tell you?"

"Our Mrs. Grey is just fine. BP is good. Pulse is good. Brain activity indicates peaceful sleep. I think that she knew that you weren't here last night. I've never seen her like that. It scared me. I just wanted her to lie still because her BP was steadily climbing and her pulse was well over 90. I think, however, that we just made things worse by struggling with her.

"And she's strong! For a woman who has been lying in a bed for three years, she is very strong. Just before you came in, she got the better of poor John. She smacked him in the face so hard that he has a bruise this morning. Don't be concerned, tho'. He was startled and then he laughed about it.

"Nursing personnel are not unaccustomed to being hit. We just didn't expect it from Mrs. Grey. It's usually drunks brought into the ER," Greta chuckled.

Grey smiled. He checked his watch. Almost time to get up anyway. He needed his shower and he wanted to get home in time to get Trev up as usual. He told Greta that he'd be rising soon. She told him to take his time and then left the room.

Ana was breathing easily and gently. Christian nuzzled the sweet spot between her dainty earlobes and her shoulder and breathed deeply. She always smelled good, even after three years surrounded by hospital antiseptics. He didn't want her to be awakened but still, he wanted to see her eyes. He would have liked to have looked at her and told her it was morning. A typical Seattle morning with gray skies and light drizzle_. I have to go to work now but I'll see you tonight. I love you._ Yes, that would be nice to say to her. Instead, he kissed her neck and then rose from the bed to get ready for work.

As he passed Reynolds, who had another couple of hours duty, he thanked him for being so efficient the previous night. Reynolds informed him that he'd texted Welsh for updates on all personnel on the list that Grey had given him three years earlier and to do a deep vet on the new orderly, John Connor. Grey was able to leave knowing that Ana was in good hands.

Grey made it home in time to wake Trev who stumbled half-asleep into the bathroom. His daddy helped him with the toilet so that Bessie didn't have to clean up a pool of urine beside the commode. Then he bathed him, got him dressed and down to breakfast. The entire time Trev merely mumbled. Yesterday's excitement had really worn him out.

Gail asked him about his trip to see his mother, however, and that woke him right up. He kept repeating himself but he couldn't help it. His mommy had the mostest beautiful blue eyes of anybody ever! And he took a nap with her. He could hardly wait to see her again.

"Daddy, when I see Mommy again? When, huh, when, soon, today?"

"I hate to say that you'll have to wait, Trev, but Mommy has a lot of healing to do yet. Think that you can wait until Sunday afternoon like always? Maybe, just maybe, she'll be able to focus by then and can look right at you."

Trev didn't look happy about the delay but he agreed. Then he thought of an inducement. He giggled and rubbed his hands together like an evil mastermind.

"S'ppose I promise I eat something green every night without fighting?" he implored.

Christian and Gail roared with laughter at Trev's machinations. Grey was sorely tempted to cave but he knew it was best to keep to Ana's _and_ Trev's routines. He shook his head, then clasped his little boy's head and kissed his forehead.

"Sometimes, you are too cute for your own good, little guy," Christian grinned.

Trev frowned at his failure, sighed and accepted his fate.

"Okay, we go to work, daddy. You got lots to do," growled Trev. Christian laughed again. He picked Trev up and threw him over his shoulder, hauling him to the elevator.

"Daddy! I not potato sack!" Trev wailed as Gail waved goodbye.

CHAPTER 10

"Gail, I need some advice," Grey sat at the breakfast bar watching his son build a castle out of Legos. Gail came around to the front and sat on a stool across from Christian. She knew that something was on his mind all morning. He was quite distracted. She waited.

"I've dismissed the idea of keeping Ana's condition from the family. The very notion of a three-year-old exercising discretion is ridiculous so I'll have to tell them. However, I don't know what to say when they clamor to see Ana," Christian looked at Gail, awaiting her thoughts.

"Well, you know your family better than I do, Christian. And you know better what Ana needs right now and what Ana needs comes first, does it not? So, tell me. What does Ana need?"

"Her vision has cleared and she can focus now. She is still trying to speak. We've been trying to ascertain what she knows and doesn't know with hand gestures and eye blinks."

"Have you shown her pictures?" asked Gail.

"Some. The family portraits from around her room. She doesn't have any reaction to them. When we ask if she recognizes anyone, she just stares. The doctor thinks that she doesn't understand what we're asking of her."

"Well, I'm not family so perhaps I ought not to be saying….."Christian cut her off. "Gail, you and Taylor _are_ family. If family are the people who truly know you and help you get through the hard times, then you are family. I know that you would do anything for Ana and Trev and me and we can't get along without you."

Gail blushed and took in a breath.

"If you were to allow family in to see her, who would you choose first? You couldn't expose Ana to a large group of people. That might be overwhelming. So, one person at a time. Who and when? This is a most unique situation. Ana isn't waking up from an accident. She's coming out of a place we don't understand. Were she my daughter, and I must say that I feel that way about her, I would wait until I was sure that she could handle strangers. You have excellent instincts, Christian. Use them."

Christian nodded. He agreed. It was good to hear from a woman he considered wise. Of course, he would still have to deal with his family who would not be so wise. Kate and Mia would be the hardest to handle. It was going to be a bumpy afternoon at Grey Manor.

Grey Manor

"Okay, Trev. You agree that you'll wait for my signal before speaking?" Christian didn't actually think that Trev would even make it through the door. Trev bobbed his head up and down vigorously.

It was a warm day and so the entire family was waiting in front of the house. Trev's eyes grew big and he clapped his little hands over his mouth. Christian had to bite his tongue and look the other way to avoid bursting with laughter. Taylor opened Trev's door and picked him up from his car seat, handing him off to Grey.

"Sir? Request permission to, hmmm, make a sweep of the interior," Taylor spoke.

Now Christian did laugh. "Yes, Taylor, come inside and have something to eat and observe. Boy, for a pro, you sure are transparent."

"Thank you, sir. I do have to report back to the boss, you know," he smiled, referring to Gail. Christian put Trev on the ground as the family rushed forward for hugs and kisses. The entire show would be repeated as soon as Elliot, Kate and Ava arrived. His parents were certainly getting to be sentimental in their elder years while Mia was as manic as ever. Trev was soon enveloped in a perfect storm of Greys. He never complained about this, having been warned by his father that all the kissing and hugging and crushing was about love and that Daddy would rescue him if need be.

Today looked like a 'need be'.

"Okay, okay. Let's give the kid some breathing room. Save some of it for Ava." Grey picked up his son and headed inside.

"I promise you, son, that when Aunt Kate's baby is born, they'll all forget who you are," he whispered to Trev. Trev giggled. He himself was quite excited about the new baby. Aunt Kate had let him feel him move inside her and Trev was entranced.

He'd never seen a baby in real life.

He sat in his booster chair, wiggling and bouncing all during dinner. His giddiness was noticeable even to a family used to two small children and their restlessness. Ava piped up and asked her mother what was wrong with Trev. Trev gave a desperate look to his daddy, a plea for NOW.

Christian stood, tapping his glass to garner his family's attention. As all eyes turned to him, he smiled.

"Family," he announced, "Trevelyan Carrick Grey has something he wishes to tell you." Then he tipped an imaginary hat to his son. Trev suddenly quieted and looked somberly at the group. He and his daddy had practiced his little speech.

"Family, as of Wednesday, I found out that my mommy has bright blue eyes 'cause she looked right at me with them." Then he clapped. Everyone just stared…not quite comprehending. Their gaped jaw silence was not what Trev expected. He thought there would be cheering but instead they all appeared stunned. They looked around at each other and then up to Christian who stood next to Trev.

"I think you amazed them, son. Say it again," he encouraged.

"Mommy waked up!" Trev screamed. In an instant, everyone except Ava jumped to their feet. There was pandemonium in the dining room. Christian looked over to Taylor. He was beaming. Grey didn't know that Jason was capable of such a big smile. The joy in the room was stunning, out of control. Christian and Trev were inundated with hugs and questions and, as expected, demands for immediate trips to The Ana.

Ava, a few weeks younger than Trev, was overcome with fright at all the yelling and so she began to cry. Trev, seated next to her, leaned over and put his little arms around her. He was quite protective of his cousin. He patted her head and reassured her that everyone was just very excited.

"Is good news, Ava. Not cry news. Smile," he urged. Kate, watching, had retaken her seat and smiled at her adorable nephew as he tended to her daughter. Ana was awake. Kate couldn't wait to tell her what a treasure her son had turned out to be.

Slowly, everyone exhausted themselves and sat down again. Grace spoke first.

"Tell us everything, please," she implored, "don't leave out a detail." Then she began to sob uncontrollably. Carrick put his arms around her and said, teasingly, that if she kept up the crying, she wouldn't be able to hear the details. Grace nodded and choked back further tears.

Christian looked around at his family. Now he had to tell them the bad news…the strong possibility that Ana had lost her memory, that they couldn't see her yet. Kate was snuggled into Elliot's chest and Mia was leaning into her father. They all loved Ana so. Indeed, their affection for her had grown during the years of her coma. His parents, in particular, had come to realize what a gift she was to the family and the time they'd wasted despising her.

"Wednesday was a rough day at GEH…dealing with the Chinese. I was so riled up that I left work early, around 4 p.m. Taylor took me over to The Ana because only seeing my wife would calm me down. I was like I usually am when I'm upset. I was tearing at my hair and wearing a path in the carpet while loudly complaining about the Chinese deal when I looked up at Ana. Her eyes were open. Big. Blue. Blank. The 2000 thousand-yard stare. But even though unfocused, her eyes were open.

"Dr. Thompson later explained that it would take a few days for Ana's vision to clear, for her to be able to see more than colors and shapes. That day I asked her to blink if she could hear me. And she did. She blinked. That's a good sign…I mean, that she understood what I meant.

"That night for the first time since we brought Trev home, I didn't tuck him in. I stayed with Ana. That was hard on Trev until I told him that we could go to see his mommy.

"Next day Daddy take me go see Mommy. I see her better than she see me but it get better soon. I sit by her and talked and looked into her most beautiful blue eyes. Then I putted my head on her tummy and took a nap. Daddy napped, too."

Christian continued, recalling every detail that he could. He told how he'd had to leave Trev in the middle of the night because Ana was having a nightmare. At this, Kate's head shot up. She heard those nightmares all too often. She was about to say that Ian Hyde needed shooting when she remembered that Trev was in the room. He may have been only weeks older than Ava but he was far more mature.

Finishing his story, Christian smiled and noted that he and Trev would be leaving soon to make their usual Sunday night visit. He waited. Everyone was quiet for a few moments.

"Uh, bro, aren't you forgetting something?" queried Elliot, nodding toward his mother and Kate.

"Yeah, Elliot. Well, the last couple of days Ana's been put through a battery of tests, physical and mental. Due to multiple daily physical therapy sessions, she's in good shape physically. They're going to get her up and trying to walk a bit soon. However, we're not yet sure where she is mentally. Usually, a patient in a coma this long is prone to losing all memory. Plus, the area in her brain where the aneurysm blew was directly in the area where memories are maintained. We have to be prepared for the possibility that she will remember nothing."

A gasp escaped from the lips of everyone present. "Is this a permanent condition, son? asked Grace.

"Yeah, I'm afraid so, Mom. I know that her memory loss is going to be a real challenge for all of us but we can only accept it and deal as best we can. It will be so much worse for Ana who will have to rebuild her mind and life. I don't think she knows who I am to her or even what a husband is but she does seem to accept my presence. In order to keep her calm and open to everything she has to learn, we have to give her a lot of room and a lot of time.

"I know that you all want to rush to her but, as I said, we don't yet know what she is able to understand and until we do have a better idea, we'll have to keep her visitors to nurses, doctors, me and Trev. I'll confess that I'm afraid that I might end up on the no-visitors list if she shows fear of me. I'm sorry. I know how hard this is for all of you," he sympathized, looking especially at Kate.

"I'm going to take the scrapbook she was making, photo albums and any messages you want to send and see how she reacts to those. I'll tell her who everyone is, including baby Ross," he smiled, indicating Kate's large baby bump. "Of course, she probably won't know what a baby is or how the heck it got in there."

At this, everyone laughed…but still they looked sad.

"So, what you're telling us, Christian," confirmed Mia, "is that we have a long road ahead. You're saying that it could be some time before we can even see Ana…much less talk with her. She's awake but she isn't back with us and might never be. We may have to get to know a whole new Ana."

"Yes, baby sister. I know patience isn't your strong suit," he and everyone else chuckled, "but it's time to woman up…so to speak. Ana will need tender, loving patience from all of us for some time to come. I'm grateful for this family because I know that you can give her what she needs as hard as it may be."

Everyone nodded.

"Is anyone going to call her folks?" asked Elliot. "Kidding, just kidding. Geez, you all look like you're going to kill me. Bad joke. Forgive."

Christian grinned and lowered his head, shaking it from side to side.

"I am concerned about the press getting wind of this and Carla giving press releases. She'll stay away if she wants her blood money to continue. I can only imagine how she'd try to turn this to her advantage."

"Who Carla?" Trev piped up in his innocent voice.

Christian just groaned and lowered his head to the table.

CHAPTER 11

After Christian and Trev had left for The Ana, the rest of the family took their dishes to the kitchen. Margaret, the housekeeper, would take care of them in the morning.

Then everyone retired to the family room. It was quiet for a time… everyone keeping to their own thoughts…until Kate began to cry. Elliot put his arm around her and kissed her temple. He understood. He knew how much Kate loved Ana and how difficult the past three years had been for her. He would sometimes hear her get up in the middle of the night. She would go into the bathroom and just cry.

She was lonely. Ana was the only person who had ever befriended her, the only person who'd ever really been a friend. Kate's personality was often brash and abrasive. People said that she was off-putting. She and Ana had been glued together for four years and Ana thought that she was brave and confident and protective and wonderful. No one had ever thought so well of Kate…not even those in her family. They seemed to always be irritated by her. She even heard her mother once thank Ana for "putting up" with Kate and, for the first time, heard Ana use a tone and language that shut her mother up good. Ana apologized for berating Diane but said that she loved everything about Kate and would not stand for criticism of her. Kate was amazed and then cried. Kate was not a crier.

Until Ana's brain bled. Since then Kate was emotional and even fragile. She was also more patient with people. Elliot thought that she was a wonderful mother. She was never angry with Ava who was quite the little princess thanks to her father's spoiling of her. Kate was kinder and easier to live with, too. But sad. Always sad. Elliot had fallen in love with the same woman Ana saw. He even liked when Kate would snarl at him. This woman now was easier to love but she wasn't quite the woman he'd first fallen in love with and that made _him_ sad sometimes.

"I used to come home and tromp through the house in muddy work boots. Kate would cuss my head off and make me clean it up. The thing is that I could have just changed shoes in my office trailer or taken the boots off before I came into the house but I just loved getting her all riled up. Now she says nothing…just gets out a mop and smiles and kisses me hello."

"Son, you're an idiot," grinned Carrick. "You have a dynamic with Kate that most people wouldn't understand. Can't say that I do, either. I used to watch and listen to you two on Sunday and wonder when you'd be coming to me to discuss divorce."

"Never, dad. I worship that woman…even though she's lost some of who she used to be. That's marriage, right? People evolve. I'm sure that Mom isn't exactly who she was 40 years ago but you adjusted and accepted."

Carrick nodded. Elliot was right. People change and you have to either accept it or give up. If you love them enough, you accept it.

"And," Elliot continued, "now Christian will have to accept whomever Ana is now. And he won't hesitate. Kate is concerned that the new Ana won't like her. She's scared. I think we all are. We adjusted to the coma and the waiting. Well, we got our prayers answered and now we have some new adjusting to do."

"When did you get so smart, El?" Carrick teased.

"I think it was around the time I broke into a cold sweat and bought Kate an engagement ring. After that, it was all easy," Elliot grinned.

Kate and Mia were sitting on the bathroom floor, sharing a box of tissues.

"I don't see why we have to wait to see Ana. We're not scary people and we love her," Mia whined.

Kate smiled at Mia indulgently. Without Ana around, she spent more time with Mia and had gotten to really know her. Mia's narcissism used to make her crazy and she'd marvel at the way Ana was with her. Mia would run on and on about her useless pals, her wardrobe issues, makeup….everything that Ana cared nothing about….yet Ana would listen as though each word was gold. And now Kate did. She and Mia had grown close in Ana's absence. What would happen to that relationship now that Ana was returning? Kate wondered.

"Of course, we're not scary people, Mia, but if you come out of a dark void and nothing is familiar to you….I mean, look at it this way. You wake up in the morning and you don't know where you are or what to call things or even _who_ _you_ are. Your world is a complete unknown. Try to imagine how terrifying that might be. Even tho' you love Ana, she doesn't know you and has no memory of what you were to each other.

"I want to see her as much as you do. She's twenty minutes away and she's awake and I can't run to her and throw my arms around her…." Kate stopped and covered her face as tears overflowed. Mia took Kate into her arms and tried to soothe her.

Mia had changed a lot in the three years of Ana's absence, too. At first, she handled it all very badly. She felt personally betrayed and abandoned. Ana had liked her and listened to her when no one else did. Her own brothers acted like she was a boring pest. Her mother rolled her eyes at her when she complained about being mistreated by her friends and her father would wearily say that she should just get some new friends. Ana thought she was interesting and told her to stand up for herself. Mia always thought that she was a strange and unattractive girl. Ana scoffed at her.

"Unattractive?! Now where in the blue blazes would you get an idea like that? Mia, you are a beauty and not just a regular beauty but a special and exotic beauty. Come with me," she said…ordering Mia into the powder room and standing her in front of the mirror.

"Look at that girl, that woman in the mirror. She has emerald green eyes that mesmerize. She has glossy black hair, thick and lush. These are not things many others have. I have never seen anyone like you. And then you're tall and slender. You, Mia Grey, are stunning. I'll bet that men are terrified to approach you because you are too much, just too much and they don't think that they stand a chance. And maybe they shouldn't. The right man, one with confidence and good judgement will put aside his silly schoolboy conceit and take a chance. Meanwhile, you just stand tall and value yourself."

Ana said all this with surety and strength of conviction. After that, Mia started to really take stock of herself. She began to dress differently…no more pink to help herself feel delicate and girly. No, she learned to dress like the exotic woman she was. And she began to look at boys with a clearer eye. She stopped jumping gratefully into the arms of any male who'd have her. Ana did that for her.

She needed Ana back again. She hadn't grown up enough yet and she didn't know how. Ana could tell her…except that Ana might not know her any more.

Grace looked at the powder room door and wondered how long those girls were going to be in there talking. And what in heaven's name did they find to say to each other? They were so different from each other. Meanwhile, her husband and eldest son were quietly conferring over bourbon in Cary's study. She sat on the couch and watched Ava play with her doll.

Ana is awake. Ana is awake. Grace said it out loud to make it seem real. She remembered the night that Ana leaned against her in the car as Grace slipped an arm around her. She had come to love the girl that she'd initially believed to be a gold digging grifter. Grace had never gotten something so wrong in all her life and that was saying something about a woman who called Elena Lincoln her dear friend for 20 years. She could only put it down to finding Ana too good to be true.

Because, in many ways, she was. She was unique. Somehow, despite her parents and her hardscrabble youth and being raped and struggling to stay afloat in this world, she had become…well….Ana.

Grace looked down at little Ava who was looking up at her grandmother and getting scared because Gramma was crying. Ava sniffled a bit and reached up with her little arms. Grace picked her up and carried her out to the patio swing where the two of them cuddled and swung lazily back and forth.

"Your Aunt Ana is going to love you, Ava. She'll sit here on the swing just like now with you on her lap. I can almost see her smiling with happiness. I hope it's soon. I miss her so." Ava kissed her grammy and curled into her.

CHAPTER 12

"Andrea, please ask Ros to stop in as soon as she can." Christian had to have an important discussion with his #2 and he wasn't sure how it was going to go over.

"She's already on her way, sir," replied Andrea. Grey stood up, straightened his tie and smoothed down his jacket. He was nervous about this talk he had to have but he'd given it a lot of thought.

"Christian, good morning," Ros greeted Grey. "Did you have a chance to look over those reports I sent to you yesterday. I'd like to get moving on that Taiwan shipyard acquisition."

"Hmmm….yeah. They look good to me. I made several notations but otherwise I think we're ready to bid. Have a seat, Ros. I need to talk with you about something."

Ros noted that Grey was fidgety…so unlike himself. She had a bad feeling that she wasn't going to like what he had to say.

And she didn't.

"Ros, Ana is awake."

"Yes, you told me that last week. Is everything okay?" Ros asked.

"Her being awake has brought new concerns. Her memory appears to be gone. She has yet to speak and we don't know if she even knows how. Her world is scary and confusing and almost nothing makes sense to her. She does seem more comfortable with me than any others. We're not sure why except that I spent nights with her for the past three years. Whatever the reason, I need to be with her as much as possible to help her transition to a normal life.

"I suspect that you know where I'm going with this," Grey hinted.

"Not only do I know what you're going to say but I've been expecting it since you first told me that she'd opened her eyes. I've been preparing. You want to take an indefinite leave of absence. You want me to assume the position of CEO." Ros eyed Grey carefully.

"You've been with me for seven years, Ros, and we've built this company together."

"You'd already made your first millions, Christian, when I signed on. This building was going up when I began working with you."

"Well, you insisted on finishing all four years at Harvard instead of quitting with me," Grey grinned.

"I wish I had a picture of your face when I graduated and then told you that I intended to get my Masters. I thought that you were going to throttle me," Ros laughed.

"You didn't need all that education. You were already a business genius. I struggled on without you and it wasn't easy. Remembering how you made me wait makes me feel better about handing off the company to you," Grey growled. "Now maybe you'll know how I felt going it alone so long. I don't know what I'd do without you, you know."

"You flatter me, Christian, but I'll take it. As I said, I've been preparing for this moment. I've already begun training Franklin to handle more operation duties. And I've got a list of jobs I'm delegating."

"Franklin's only been CFO for two years, Ros," Grey frowned. "Are you sure that he can continue in that position as well as taking on new duties?"

"You've been too busy to notice, Christian, but Franklin is a genius. He whips through his own work and then goes looking to help others. He's been learning my job, your job and half a dozen other important positions. If you didn't outright own this place, he'd be petitioning a board of directors to consider _him_ for the CEO spot."

"He's good, then."

"Yes, Christian, he's good. I want to keep him and all these extra challenges will make it worth his while to stick around. I suppose asking how long you'll be gone is a stupid question?" Ros said.

"No idea. Ros, there are so many unknowns about Ana's condition. It could be months. It could be years. How about we revisit our situation in about six months? I'll be straight with you. If it develops that Ana has to deal with a permanent disability, I'll be retiring. She and Trev will always come first.

However, I am always available for consultations on any matters. I'd also like weekly reports to keep me up-to-date on my company. Call me any time you need to."

"Can I call if I just miss you?" Ros asked, looking sad.

Grey embraced Ros and assured her that he'd miss her. They could do lunch regularly. Then Grey signed papers ceding control of the company to Ros. Both were quite sad but neither could see any other way to do things. Ros would do the same if she needed to be with her wife, Gwen. And, besides, Ros truly felt that she owed this to Christian. Those three years that he worked without her were brutal.

Christian had decided to keep his office, at least for the foreseeable future so he merely packed a few things in his briefcase. One last look around at his little kingdom, one last feeling of regret, then he walked out the door. He bid Andrea farewell although he knew that he'd see her now and again. It wouldn't be the same, of course.

He didn't look back as he strode purposefully to the elevator that Taylor was holding for him. People watched him go, waved shyly and, surprising themselves, felt badly that their tyrant of a boss was leaving. He was their rock, their assurance that all was well. Knowing that he'd no longer be watching over GEH was unsettling. He dismissed any idea of a farewell party, of course. He still hoped that Ana's recovery would go well and that he could return sooner rather than later. However, if that didn't happen, he'd still have what mattered most…Ana.

The elevator descended to the company garage. Taylor and Grey drove away in the Mercedes SUV with Trev's car seat. Grey would be CEO of a far more important operation now…getting Ana well.

CHAPTER 13

When Grey walked into 5A that afternoon, Ana was in the middle of a voice therapy session. She was red-faced and irritated, he could tell. Her therapist was trying get her to make certain noises…sort of an ah, eh, oh, uh…kind of thing. Her kindly therapist was helping her to form the sounds by squeezing her mouth into the proper shape for the sound. Ana's response was to slap her hand away.

"How's it going today, Marsha?" asked Grey.

"Not well, sir. Mrs. Grey is frustrated. She doesn't understand what we're doing which is most of the problem. She has no point of reference. Perhaps I'm failing her," Marsha pouted.

"You're well-trained, Marsha, and one of the best in the business which is why I hired you to work here at The Ana. Why don't you take a little break? Come back in 15 minutes, okay?"

"Thank you, sir." Marsha smiled at Ana and said that she'd return and they would try again.

Christian smiled at his wife and leaned over to kiss her forehead. Ana never reacted to these touches which was, in itself, a sort of reaction. As long as she didn't slap his face away, Grey was satisfied.

"I am quite happy today, my lovely wife," he smiled. He often reiterated their status when he spoke to her…hoping that she'd catch on sometime.

"Do you want to know why? Knew you did," he grinned. "I quit my job today. My fulltime occupation will now be helping you. What do you think of that?" he asked. He didn't expect an answer and he didn't get one. Ana was looking at him with that tiny V between her brows, the one she had a lot these days when she frowned. She was beginning to grasp that she didn't understand things. That, in itself, was progress. To know that one didn't know.

"Let's see if you can learn something from me," he suggested. He put his hand to his mouth and formed an O. "Now you, " he said, but, of course, she just stared at him. He tried it again and again she just looked at him. This went on for some time and just as he was about to give up to avoid wearing her out, Ana raised her hand to her mouth and pushed it into the form of an O. Grey beamed and applauded. He kissed her forehead. Then he formed his mouth into an O again and waited. To his amazement, Ana formed an O. Again, he beamed at her and kissed her forehead. When she formed an O a third time, Grey noticed that she seemed to expect something. Was it possible that she wanted that kiss on her forehead?

Christian took a deep breath and formed an O. Ana hesitated just a moment and then formed an O. Christian smiled and pointed at his lips and then his forehead and held his breath. Ana seemed confused for a bit but then she touched his lips and then her forehead. He smiled so hard he almost broke his face as he kissed her forehead firmly and for a few seconds longer.

"I saw that," said Marsha as she approached the bed. "That was great, Ana."

Ana, however, was in no mood to please Marsha who'd 'tormented' her for 30 minutes prior to Grey's arrival.

"I suppose I should kiss her forehead, too," Marsha grinned. "I have to get down to work with a patient on the 4th floor. See if you can get her to blow out of that O."

Christian sat with Ana and mouthed Os and blew on her hand as he did. She looked confused again. She mouthed O and then touched her forehead. For almost an hour, they worked on O and blowing. Finally, when Christian's cheeks were beginning to hurt, Ana mouthed O and blew at the same time. Christian clapped in appreciation and gave her two kisses. It was clear that Ana liked those kisses although she didn't know what to call them or why they mattered but she knew that she wanted them. Every time Grey tried to stop, she'd continue. He'd have never dreamed that kissing Ana's forehead would get old but he was getting tired. Fortunately, her physical therapists came in to work on her walking which gave Christian a break.

At 4:30, Grey climbed up on the bed and leaned Ana against him as he sang softly to her. Soon she fell asleep. Then he gently laid her back and slipped out of the room.

When he came off the elevator before 5 p.m., Trev was waiting, jumping and down. Grey swept his little boy up in his arms and sat him down to tell him about his afternoon with Mommy. The significance of his mother being able to make Os and blow was completely lost on Trev but he shrugged and took his daddy's word that this was a good thing.

Then they blew up trains until dinner. Gail and Taylor made a better audience for news of Ana's small triumph. There was the usual fuss over eating the green thing on his plate, followed by washing up and more playing. They spent some time in the pool and then Christian gave Trev his bath. Trev had gotten a little more raucous in the tub of late. He liked to crash trains and now he liked to have battles between his rubber duckies. Christian used up several towels soaking up all the water Trev splashed everywhere. By the time he'd finished that night's story, Grey was exhausted. He kissed his sleeping child, turned on his nightlite and quietly closed the door behind him as he left the room.

"That is really wonderful news about Ana, Christian," smiled Gail. Taylor nodded and noted that Grey seemed more tired out after an afternoon of blowing Os than he did after two hours of negotiations with the Chinese.

"I think I hyperventilated," laughed Christian. "Maybe tomorrow Ana will catch on to Es and As. As many times as I rewarded her with forehead kisses, I wouldn't be surprised to find a bruise on her head tomorrow." Gail and Taylor laughed at the idea of Grey-shaped lip marks on Ana's head.

"Are you returning again tonight?" asked Taylor.

"Yes, like always. I'll be back to get Trev up for breakfast and school."

"Probably because I'm usually the one picking him up from school, the teacher spoke to me about his progress. I hope you don't mind. The information was meant to be passed along," said Taylor.

"No, of course. You're like his uncle. What did she say?"

"Well, he is the brightest kid in the group by far. He even helps her to read to the other kids. He follows her and jumps in when he recognizes words. She'd like you to consider hiring a teacher to work with both Trev and a few other kids, four-year-olds, who want to learn to read."

"Wow, three and he reads. I wonder why he never jumps in when I read to him at night."

"Probably," offered Gail, "because he just likes to sit with his daddy and share that special time with you. However, he is awfully bright and is always asking me to tell him what a particular word is."

"Okay, then. Taylor, look into hiring a reading teacher for the preschool area of the daycare center. I'll leave you to interview and vet someone. Now, I'm off to see my girl again. You two have a good night."

Fifteen minutes later, Christian walked into 5A to find his girl sleeping. The proximity of The Ana to Escala was another reason that Grey had never moved into the house on Ambrosia Lane. That would have been at least a 30 minute drive and every minute was precious.

He found Ana sleeping so he placed a bouquet of fragrant roses in a vase and settled into his recliner. He picked up her hand and his kindle and began reading Forbes. He felt Ana squeeze his hand and he looked up, surprised to find her still asleep. He was pleased.

CHAPTER 14

Christian's days became a routine of spending time with his son and spending time with Ana. On Sundays at brunch, he was peppered with queries about Ana's progress and, although there were many heavy hints, no one ever outright demanded that they be allowed access to his wife. He felt a newfound affection for his family for their respect for his decision to limit visits to Ana. Their love for her included leaving her be to heal and he knew that it was difficult for all of them to know that she was awake and yet they couldn't see her. Soon, he kept telling them, soon. He gave them details to keep them apprised of her health.

It was hard, now that she was awake, to not want things to be just as they were…but they weren't. She didn't understand much and was confused about most things. It was hard for her to live in this strange land where she didn't know her place. He had often explained his relationship to her but she continued to look at him blankly. He could tell that she was very fond of Trev but she didn't understand what a 'son' was either.

Trev was infinitely patient with her. He would try to get her to smile or laugh but to no avail. It would seem to be a natural thing but something inside Ana's brain didn't get it. Trev would tell her jokes…silly, kid jokes but even simple things like that would not elicit a response. Ana seemed to study him intently as if she were truly trying to figure him out. Always, however, she would agree to holding him close while he napped. Christian noticed that a look of contentment came over her countenance whenever she held her son. Maternal Ana was definitely in there, he knew.

Where he himself was concerned, wife Ana was still deeply buried. She accepted and even demanded some signs of affection but he was always careful as to how far he could go. He would have loved to lie with her and kiss and touch but he was afraid that too much intimacy would frighten her. He didn't want to take the chance of setting back her progress.

After his first attempts to get her to mouth O and blow, over the next week, she learned to say E out loud. Then came A and B and so on. He and Marsha would start at the top of the alphabet of sounds and work their way down. Now they were working on having Ana say whole words.

"Ana, let's try saying your son's name," encouraged Marsha. "Start with the TR sound and add on the EV sound, okay?"

"Trrrr. Evvvv." Ana sounded it out perfectly but it took practice to get her to put the two together easily. In fact, the first time she did was when Trev came on Sunday afternoon. When he ran in the door and yelled "Mommy!", Ana responded, "Trrrevvv". Christian and Trev applauded enthusiastically. Then Ana looked up at Christian and touched her lips. Christian bent down, took her face in his hands, looked seriously at her and placed his lips on hers. At first, she stiffened and pulled back…Christian persevered, slowly closing the gap between their mouths and again kissing her. This time she accepted the kiss and looked into his eyes. He kissed her again and she kissed back. He thought he'd cry with happiness.

"Again, Mommy! Say my name again, again!" demanded Trev. Ana looked at the little boy sitting next to her and repeated "Trrreevv" over and over as demanded by her son until the word was perfect. "Trev," she said and looked at her son with what Christian would swear was love. But he so wanted a smile to light her face.

"Trev," said Christian, " show Mommy how to smile." Heck, it was worth a try.

Trev smiled widely, pulling his cheeks apart. "See Mommy? You try." Ana just looked at him, uncomprehending. Trev tried again. He calmly said to his mother, "I going to smile at you and then you smile back. You just do what I do. You copy me. Okay, Mommy? Okay, here goes."

Trev beamed at her. Ana looked at him intently and slightly moved her lips but couldn't manage the whole smile. So, Trev reached up and pulled her lips open and her cheeks up. He got kind of a Joker effect but Ana tried once more. Christian felt such love for her as she tried to please her son. She managed a stiff grin of sorts but it was more than she'd ever done before. They promised her that she'd get it soon. She looked at Christian and touched her lips. She wanted her reward. He obliged.

Trev and his father felt that smiling lessons could wait until another time. Instead Trev decided to tell his mother all about preschool and Lego building. He said that next time he'd bring his Legos and they could build something together. Christian thought that that was a great idea. After a lot of discussion, mostly by Trev, it was time to cuddle up. Trev didn't ask anymore. Now he knew that it was welcome so he put his head on his mother's chest and his arm around her and closed his eyes. Ana put her arms around his little body and sighed. Christian eased himself unto the bed on the other side of Ana and lay down with her with his arm over her. She moved one hand to rest on his.

Ana didn't understand what all this meant…why these people wanted to hold her or why she needed to hold them but something about it felt right. Most of her world these days was unknown and disturbing. Sometimes, she wanted to go back into the void but times like this felt good and she wanted it. She just wished that she understood better who and what these people were. The man told her all the time that he was her husband and she was his wife. The little boy called her 'mommy' but she didn't know what that meant. Why did the man call her Ana and the little boy call her 'mommy'? Since she'd opened her eyes, all was unknown and odd. But this was nice. It felt good. As she lay there, she opened her lips and moved her cheeks. Everything she did these days was called practice.

Practice. It got so sometimes she just wished that 'they' would leave her alone. She was tired of practicing. They made her get out of bed and move her legs like they did. Walking. It was hard and it made her legs ache. They made her hold weights and move them up and down. They said it was to strengthen her arms. They made her make noises with her mouth. What was _that_ all about? They'd removed the tube going into her stomach and now poked at her with something that they called a spoon or sometimes a fork. They put "food" on it and tried to get it into her mouth. At first, she was scared to death…but now she allowed it a little. There was something called apple sauce that she liked. The thing called mushed peas she spit out.

They held up what they called flash cards with pictures on them and told her that this picture was of a bear. The next was of a car or a house or a bunch of people called a family. What was that all about? She didn't care about bears, whatever they were.

She watched the TV now. It was fascinating. Some shows people just sat and talked. She didn't understand any of it. Her favorite shows were something called commercials. They were short and fast and she learned from them. She found out that clothes and sheets and other things were put into machines that cleaned them. She watched with fascination when the orderly changed _her_ sheets. One day she'd wobbled over to the armoire that she'd seen Christian go into and opened it to find lots of clothes. She wondered about them. They weren't anything like her clothes. Hers were thin and shapeless and ugly. She wanted clothes like Christian's. She also wanted to be able to say Christian but it was harder than Trev. She'd have to practice when no one was around which was almost never, she grumped to herself.

She lay there with warm bodies surrounding her. It was pleasant. She fell asleep and dreamt of clothes and kisses.

CHAPTER 15

By the end of the 3rd week, Ana was making sounds regularly and, besides 'Trev', she'd learned to say a few words. Inexplicably to others, they were laundry words….sheets, shirts, soap and even a two syllable word, water. Christian had gotten the treat of his week when he walked in to find his wife practicing her walking all by herself, wearing nothing but one of his shirts. The shirt came only to her mid-thighs and standing in front of the light of the window he could see the outline of her body. He had to quickly adjust himself. He hadn't had a hard-on, except from dreams, in three years. Nothing could do it for him but Ana and she sure did that Saturday.

"Honey, hmmm….what are you wearing?" Well, he knew what she was wearing. What he meant was why.

"Shirt," Ana said without any affect to her voice. She approached him and took his hand, touching it to the material. Then she touched her hospital gown and make a frown.

"You like the way the shirt feels and you don't like the way the gown feels, is that it?" Grey asked.

Ana nodded and then continued to practice her walking while Christian practiced his self-control. Blue balls or no, he certainly enjoyed watching his wife teeter about the room wearing nothing but his silk shirt.

"How about we get you some new clothes of your own?" he suggested. He took out his phone and looked up a number he hadn't used in more than four years.

"Caroline, this is Christian Grey. Yes, a very long time. Yes, it's good to hear your voice, too. I'm calling on behalf of my wife, Ana. I'd like to get her some new leisure clothes. Hmmm…something like velour sweat pants and tops. Silk, too. Yes, she's still in the hospital so we need things that are comfortable for someone who spends a lot of time in bed. Send me some pictures and I'll make the choices as usual. Size? I'd say at least a size smaller than before. And, Caroline? Discretion, please. Thank you."

He hadn't taken his eyes off of Ana as she worked her way around the room, lurching from doorknob to dresser to bedpost to table. Her walking was really improving, though, as his hard-on was getting worse. He had to excuse himself to unload in the bathroom. He rarely masturbated. He'd turned into something of a eunuch in the last three years. He felt no sexual desire except in his dreams of Ana.

His brother had offered to set him up with a discreet pro or two and could not understand that Christian seemed to have no sexual needs. Christian couldn't understand it either. He'd always had such a strong appetite but without Ana, he felt nothing. Now that she was back, he was going to have to deal with unsatisfied desires, it seemed, because it could be a long time, if ever, before she wanted him again. It was a very disheartening thought but he tried to put it aside. She was awake. For now, it was enough and he was grateful.

He picked up a hospital robe and gently draped it around her shoulders. She was concentrating on walking and so didn't notice. He offered her his arm and she held on as she walked up and back. Then her legs began to ache and as she reached for a chair, Christian seized the opportunity to pick her up and settle her on his lap as he sat down in his recliner. He smiled at her, attempting to gage her reaction to this maneuver.

Ana sat there for a moment, her face still expressionless. Then she looked at Grey.

"I like this," he simply said. She continued to stare at him. Then, having made up her mind, she touched his lips with her fingertips and then touched her own lips. Christian dipped her back a bit and softly put his mouth on hers. It was heaven. His arms around her, their lips together, her body in his lap. It was as intimate as they'd been in over three years. He just kept on kissing her, risking her rejection but unable to stop. As if an old memory had resurfaced, Ana's mouth opened just a little, just enough for Christian to slip his tongue inside. He deepened the kiss and pulled her still closer to him. As he heard the wish for it in his head, he felt Ana's arms come up and around his neck.

He pulled back and looked into her eyes. Then, taking another chance, he began to unbutton her...well, _his_ shirt until he could slip his hand inside and cup her soft breast in his hand. There was a flicker of something in her eyes. He couldn't identify it but he knew it wasn't fear or revulsion. Curiosity?

He caressed her soft flesh and gently pulled on her nipple. She watched his hand. He lowered his head and kissed her beautifully rounded mound and then took the nipple into his mouth. Ana groaned and Grey's dick hardened in an instant. There was a time, he remembered, when just playing with her nipples could make Ana come. He pulled the nipple with his teeth and moved his hand down to her sex. She was aroused. If it wouldn't have interrupted the mood, Grey would have shouted hallelujah. He moved his fingers around her labia and clitoris and then inside to massage her sweet spot. Then he took his mouth off her breast and covered her mouth with his as she loudly moaned her orgasm. He held her as tightly as he could until she pushed away.

Ana stared at him, wide-eyed and astonished. He took his hand away from her sex and brushed her hair back from her face.

"It's okay. Whatever you feel, Ana. It's okay."

She placed her hand against his cheek and traced his flesh with her finger until she reached his lips. She blinked a couple of times and then….

"Chrissan," she whispered. "Chrissan." Grey buried his face in her neck and wept for pure joy.

CHAPTER 16

His family had been studying him throughout brunch. Even Trev noticed that his daddy seemed….off. Trev worried that his father was upset so he reached over from his booster seat at the table and patted his daddy's shoulder.

"Daddy not be sad," he stage-whispered into Christian's ear, "Mommy fine. She smile…like I teach her."

Five adult heads swiveled in unison toward Trev.

"What! Ana smiled! Why didn't you tell us, Christian? Good grief! Ana smiled! What a breakthrough!"

Christian tried not to chuckle. That wasn't her only breakthrough, he thought, but he wasn't going to elaborate.

"Yes, yes, she smiled. An easy, natural smile as if there had never been a time when she didn't. Trev jumped up on the bed, pulled his cheeks back and showed his teeth. He pointed at Ana's mouth and said, "Now, you, Mommy." And she did. Trev clapped and I about fell off my feet.

"Her smile is still breathtaking," he beamed.

"Then why are you sitting here like a gloomy gus. We were afraid that something was amiss," Grace scolded.

"I've been mulling something over in my mind. I think I'd like to see how she'd take a visit from someone besides me and Trev. The problem is that her doctor and I both think that more than one person might be too much," he said as he looked around at all the anxious faces.

"Maybe we could draw straws," suggested Mia. Elliot burst into uproarious laughter.

"And where do we keep all the hay here at Grey Manor," he teased his little sister.

"It's just an expression, you putz," Mia retorted as she threw food at him.

"It should be someone she'd know best of all of us…just in case she's frightened," said Carrick. "I'm inclined to offer the position to her best friend."

Kate looked up in shock. Oh, yeah, she wanted it all right but she hadn't thought she had a chance.

"I'm in agreement with you, Dad," said Christian. "Mia, I think that you'd be next. What do you think?"

Mia sighed. "Yes, you're right. If there is the slightest chance of her remembering someone, it would be Kate. Ana and I got really close but that was after her being Kate's BFF all through Harvard. Kate, you better have a good memory because I want to hear every detail when you get home."

"Good lord in a Ford. My self-absorbed, superficial sister has suddenly become a grown-assed woman. Gotta be drugs. Come on, 'lil one, what are you on?" Elliot teased mercilessly.

Mia jumped up from her seat and moved to round the table but Christian, laughing like a loon, caught her around her waist and pulled her onto his lap before she could crown her eldest brother.

"Another time, Mia, when I don't have to leave so soon. I'd like to watch you pummel El into pulp."

Mia sat back down in her chair while giving Elliot the dirtiest look she could muster. He just laughed. Annoying Mia never got old even after 25 years. He'd never let her know how much he really admired about her. That would spoil all the fun.

"Then it's agreed," asked Grace, "you'll return to the house when you've finished your visit?"

Kate excitedly bobbed her head, kissed Elliot and Ava and grabbed her coat as she ran for the door. Elliot nervously watched his very pregnant wife running and yelled at Christian to take good care of her. Christian promised, picked up his son and ran for the car.

On the way to The Ana, Christian tried to prep Kate for her visit. He warned her that Ana might outright reject her because she was new to Ana's world. He advised that Kate smile and introduce herself and not be offended by anything that Ana did or said. Don't touch her, he said. I know how much you want to just run to her and hug her and tell how much you've missed her….but don't. Don't do that. She won't understand and she'll freeze up with confusion and fear. You have to take everything slow with her. Kate nodded but she was so fixated on finally seeing her BFF that much of Christian's commentary was going right over her head as she stared out the car window.

Christian was still talking when they arrived at 5A. Ryan gave Kate his chair while Grey went into Ana's room to forewarn her.

Trev was already sitting on the bed, chittering away like a demented chipmunk. Ana was almost laughing. Almost. She looked up at Christian and beamed at him. His heart grew three sizes. He kissed her before sitting down and taking her hand in his.

"My love," he began, "today you have a special guest. She's waiting in the hall until I call her in. Her name is Kate. She is your very best friend. You lived together all through college and she is now married to my brother, Elliot. She loves you very much and has been waiting so long to see you. Is it okay if she comes in?" Christian entreated. Ana, for her part, seemed oblivious to his request. She understood very little of it. However, she did understand that her Chrissan wanted something from her and she wanted to give him whatever that was. Thus, she nodded slowly. That seemed to please the man she liked. He went to the door and escorted a very pretty, _very_ pregnant woman into the room.

Kate slowly approached Ana's bed. That gave her time to look at Ana. Her heart clenched a bit to see her so thin and pale. She hadn't been to see comatose Ana in over two years because it hurt so bad. Now she could see all the changes. Her hair had grown a lot and was duller than it had been. Her face was gaunt and her eyes wary. But she was still Kate's beloved Ana. Her brother-in-law offered her a chair next to Ana and she took a seat.

"Hello, Ana. My name is Kate. You are Ana, my very best friend in the whole world. Until I met my husband, Elliot, you were the most loved, the most important person in my life. Without you, my life would have been quite sad and lonely. Yours, too. We were so close. I know that you don't remember me now but you're alive and awake and I'm thrilled. I have to ask…do I seem at all familiar to you?" Ana just stared at the woman. She felt sad for her because the woman seemed sad. She looked up at her husband for guidance.

"I'm sorry, Kate. Ana is learning words and their meanings but she has only begun. In time she'll perhaps think back to this meeting and think about what you said. It will mean a lot to her then."

Kate nodded. "Ana, is it okay if I stay here for a short while? I won't ask a lot of questions. I just want to be with you."

"Be with me," Ana repeated. She understood this because Trev and Chrissan always wanted to "be with her". So she smiled and said, "Yes, okay, be with me." Kate's answering smile and shining eyes let Ana know that she'd said something good.

"Trev is going to tell me about school. Do you want to listen, too?" She asked and Kate enthusiastically agreed. So, everyone settled in for a long recitation of Trev's triumphs in preschool. Both Kate and Christian had already heard everything twice during brunch but they didn't mind. They didn't really listen. They both just looked at Ana as she listened enrapt. Of course, Trev was thrilled to have an audience enthralled with his long-winded tales.

Kate studied Ana, committing her to memory. She missed her friend so much and her friend didn't even know what it was to be a friend. It was finally clear to Kate all that Christian had been saying. Ana's world was all new. Nothing could be assumed with Ana. Then an idea occurred to her. She reached into her purse and pulled out a book of photographs that she always carried. There were pictures of her and Ana back at school, at their weddings and pictures of Elliot and Ava. Kate looked up at Christian for how to interrupt Trev. He was apparently important to Ana and Kate didn't want to upset him in front of her.

"Hey, buddy, do you think you could hold on to that story for a minute? Your Aunt Kate wants to show your mother some pictures to help her remember."

Trev was interested as well so he yielded the floor to Kate.

"Ana, these are pictures of us. Here is one taken when we were in school. We're standing in front of the library and here is one of us laughing at one of our classmates falling in the water during a rowing tournament." Ana studied the pictures intently…looking up at Kate and then back at the picture. "This is you!" she exclaimed. Yes, yes, Kate answered.

"See, we knew each other long ago. And here is a picture of me and my family." Kate produced a photo of herself with Elliot and Ava. Ana looked at Ava and then at Trev. "They are both little people. Chrissan says that Trev came out of my stomach," she laughed as if she thought he was just kidding.

Kate smiled and said yes and that she was sure that there were pictures somewhere of Ana pregnant with Trev. Ana gaped at her. "Chrissan, get pictures." Then she first noticed Kate's belly. "Do you have a Trev in there?"

Christian gulped. He knew when Kate left, he was going to have to somehow explain human reproduction to his child-like wife.

"No, there is only one Trev. The baby I'm growing inside me is also a boy but his name will be Ross. He'll be Ava's brother and Elliot's son. Do you understand?" Kate asked hopefully.

Ana looked like her mind had been blown. She looked accusingly at Chrissan who'd told her nothing of this. There were other little boys like Trev, she knew, because he talked about them all the time but somehow they didn't seem real. Now, she was looking at this lady's belly and being told that a boy like Trev was in there. How did it get out? How long was she going to keep it in there?

Kate sensed that her time was up. She told Ana that she'd like to come back again. Would that be okay? Ana asked if she'd bring the boy with her and after being assured that she would, Ana said she could return when she wanted to. Christian showed her to the door and asked Ryan to take her back to Grey Manor.

Kate was facing a grilling. And from the look on Ana's face, so was Christian.

CHAPTER 17

GREY MANOR

"Thanks, Ryan!" Kate waved goodbye as Ryan pulled out of the driveway and headed back to what he considered to be Grey Headquarters these days. He really needed to get back before he missed the mess that Kate had left his boss to handle. It could be the big laugh he'd been needing for three years.

Everyone fluttered around Kate as she tried to get out of her coat and settle next to Elliot on the couch. Elliot was acting as defensive tackle, elbowing everyone out of Kate's way. When she finally managed to take her seat, she faced big, wide eyes staring her down.

"Okay, I was laughing when I came in because I had just told Ryan what I'd left Christian to deal with when I left Ana…inadvertently, of course. Ana really doesn't understand a lot. She is curious, however. She noticed my belly and wanted to know if I had another Trev in there because Chrissan…that's how she pronounces his name…told her that she'd grown Trev in her belly. Ana apparently thought that Trev was one of a kind…being the only child she'd ever met. When I told her that my baby was also a boy, she looked shocked. It had never occurred to her that there were other little boys like Trev and that other women gave birth. Of course, she doesn't understand giving birth either or…and this is the good part…how the babies get into mommy's. She looked at Trev and back at my belly and back at Trev. I think she thinks the baby is the same as Trev…you know, size-wise. Christian looked horrified. I think when I left he was going to have to explain sex to Ana. AND Trev!" Kate laughed hysterically.

When everyone else just stared at her, she shrugged and said that she guessed that you had to be there. In actuality, no one laughed because the depth of Ana's _lack_ of understanding had just hit them.

"What _does_ she understand, Kate?" Mia asked.

"Not much. She was listening to Trev retelling his lunch time stories and you could tell that she was struggling to grasp the contents. Her vocabulary is quite limited and her understanding of the world is, well, simple. She knows her room. She knows and clearly likes Trev and Christian but I didn't get the sense that she understands who they are to her. Son and husband…they're just nice people who are somehow a part of her life. But, boy, you should see the way she looks at them both. I think she's catching on fast. She may not know what love is but she's feeling it for sure.

"And it is _so_ sweet to watch her with Trev. He adores her and knows exactly who she is. He is also so smart. I think he understands his mother's situation as well as Christian does. He explains things to her. Christian told me on the trip over that Trev even recognizes when Ana needs something explained to her that Christian figured he'd already explained. Maybe it's because, as a child, he recognizes her need for retelling just like kids do."

"Did you show her the pictures?" prodded Elliot.

"Yep, I did and she was astounded. She immediately demanded that Chrissan bring more pictures. She was totally wowed that the woman in the picture with her was me and yet there I was sitting in the same room with her. You know, understandings that we just take for granted, Ana is starting with all over again. When you go, Mia, be sure to take a few pictures with you. Not too many, though, because that might overwhelm her.

"Another thing. Despite my strangeness to her, she didn't have an asthma attack. Christian had prepped us both, I guess. I was relieved, however. 'Course, he has inhalers in every drawer in the place. Oh, gosh, honey," she said, leaning on Elliot, "I think I've worn myself out. If no one has any questions, I'd like to go home and nap for a bit."

Elliot kissed her head and helped her get up from the couch. He put her coat on her as Grace put on Ava's. She kissed her grandchild's cheek and told her that she'd been a very good girl all day. Ava grinned big. She had begun to feel a bit forgotten.

Goodbyes accomplished, doors closed and locked for the night, Grace, Carrick and Mia flopped on the couch and sat with their own thoughts for a while.

"I'm a little nervous, guys. I thought I couldn't wait to see Ana but now….I don't know…I'm worried that I'll handle everything all wrong. It would break my heart to upset Ana somehow. I also think that her not recognizing me will break my heart some, too. I hadn't expected that. Kate is so strong. I'm not," Mia sighed.

Grace wrapped an arm around her baby.

"You'll do fine, dear. You have a good heart and that will guide you. Christian will tell Ana all about you and Ana will be curious. She'll probably want to know what you have in _your_ belly!" Grace and Carrick roared.

"Okay, you guys, your time will come. Let's see how brave _you'll_ feel. Remember, I have great abs thanks to several million crunches. Ana's more likely to ask _you_ two what you've got in there."

"Oh, ouch!" exclaimed Mia's parents. "Now I wish I'd given my pie to Elliot," groaned Carrick.

THE ANA

"Mommy, you like Aunt Kate?" asked Trev.

"Kate. Kate." Ana repeated. "You call her_ Aunt_ Kate…should I call her that, too?"

Trev giggled, covering his mouth with his hands. "Oh, Mommy. You silly. Aunt Kate _my_ aunt but not yours."

Christian tried to explain, "Kate is his aunt because she is married to my brother who is Trev's uncle. She is an aunt by marriage, you see."

No, Ana didn't see. She stared at Christian for a moment and then turned back to Trev…who seemed to make more sense to her.

"She is not _my_ aunt but she is someone I know. Is that right? Why do I call her Kate?"

"Remember, Mommy, when she show you the pictures? The pictures show you knew her a long time ago? When you know someone a long time and you like them, then they a friend. See? So, Aunt Kate your friend."

"But not my aunt….only friend." Ana, Christian could see, was getting frustrated. He was also surprised that she'd forgotten already that Kate was her friend. This worried him. He'd have to discuss Ana's short-term memory with Dr. Thompson.

"She really GOOD friend, Mommy. She love you." Trev emphasized.

"Oh, like you and Chrissan?"

Trev was losing patience, Grey could see. "NO, Mommy. Kate your friend. Me and Daddy your family. Get it?"

Ana rubbed her eyes. She looked tired and a bit teary. Trev saw it, too. He patted her cheek and kissed her. "It okay, Mommy. Sometime it take me a long time to understand, too. Not cry, Mommy." Ana pulled her son into her arms and hugged him hard. Then she kissed him back.

"Trev, I think that Mommy has had a long day. You know, meeting new people is hard sometimes. Remember your first day at preschool? You were really tired when you got home. Let's get you back for dinner and a bath, okay?"

Trev nodded. He looked up at his mother's face. "I love you, Mommy," he smiled. Ana smiled back. It was so easy for her to smile at her son. Christian just wished that there were some way to explain "son".

Grey helped Trev into his jacket and then kissed Ana goodbye "for now".

"I'll be back in a couple of hours. Why don't you take a nap, love?" Ana nodded and closed her eyes.

Her two men left the room and Ana opened her eyes again. With no one to watch or care, she cried. Why did she have to be so stupid? Why didn't she understand things? She tried so hard…every day. She asked a lot of questions and now she wondered if everyone else got mad at her like Trev did but didn't show it. She'd ask Chrissan but maybe he'd lie to her because he didn't want to make her sad.

She found that she was having trouble breathing now. She tried to catch her breath but the harder she tried, the worse it got. She felt very dizzy and her head hurt badly. She tried and tried but she couldn't catch her breath. She didn't want to press the help button. She didn't want to make people mad at her. It was stupid. Everybody could breathe. She shouldn't have to ask for help.

The room was whirling.

CHAPTER 18

Grey stared out of his car window. Trev played with his toy car. Taylor, a far more sensitive man than most would give him credit for, felt ill at ease. Something was bothering the boss. The two men had grown closer than boss and employee during the three years of Ana's coma so a personal question put to Grey would not have angered him. However, Trev was in the car. Taylor would have to wait until Grey had put him to bed. He didn't know, at that moment, that the question wouldn't be necessary.

Dinner was exceptionally quiet that night. Trev seemed to be tired and Grey didn't push him to eat his greens. He simply picked up his sleepy son and walked up the stairs. Perhaps they'd skip his bath tonight as well as his bedtime story. Grey felt nervous, for some reason. He was anxious to get back to Ana. He tucked his boy into bed, kissed him and left the room.

He was surprised to see Taylor and Gail awaiting him at the foot of the stairs. They looked upset.

"Is there something wrong?" Grey asked.

"Sir, Ryan just called. He said that he didn't call your phone because he knew that you'd be with your son and you wouldn't want to frighten Trev. My phone was on its charger in my quarters so I just got the message. Mrs. Grey is in trouble, sir. Ryan said that no one will tell him anything but he did say something about CPR."

"Jesus Christ," Grey swore as he ran for the elevator. As he and Taylor descended to the garage, Grey told Taylor that Ana seemed upset earlier because she didn't understand something Trev had said. However, when he left, Ana was going to sleep.

"Sir, the R8. I'll drive."

Grey didn't argue. He wanted to get to Ana fast…and alive.

"Sir, please don't begin blaming yourself. You know that Ana has always been selfless. She wouldn't want you or her son to think she was bothered by anything Trev said. You couldn't have predicted that she'd be holding back. She probably had an asthma attack and needed help breathing. She couldn't be in a better place for that."

Grey merely nodded while he stared straight ahead, watching the traffic. He knew that Taylor was taking several calculated chances…running lights, stop signs, passing on the right and one spectacular smash through a set of traffic cones. Grey suspected that Taylor had not shared everything he learned from Ryan's call.

Taylor tore up to The Ana and Grey jumped out of the car. He ran up to the reception desk, on a hunch, and asked for the whereabouts of Mrs. Ana Grey. He was told that no, she wasn't in 5A. She was currently listed as being in intensive care in the hospital section next door. Grey jumped back in the R8 so that Taylor could drive him the two blocks to the hospital entrance. There he leapt out again and raced inside. Ordinarily, he'd be stopped by the security guard from passing the double doors or taking an elevator after hours but he was known and no one wanted to be accused of losing a few million dollars a year in Grey donations. More importantly, no one wanted to have to face Dr. Grace Trevelyan-Grey in the morning if they'd pissed off her son the night before. She was a quite formidable woman.

Grey found Ryan slumped in a chair in the intensive care waiting room. He looked sick and pale. Upon seeing Grey striding toward him, Ryan stood.

"Sir, the doctors are still working on your wife. Her night nurse and Greta are in there and promised to return with information as soon as possible. I'm sorry that I couldn't get to you earlier. Perhaps I did everything wrong. I'm sorry, sir."

"I understand your reasons, Ryan. You did all you could. Please tell me what happened."

Ryan went on to tell Grey that after he and Trev had left, all had been quiet for a while. Then he heard a small sound that he couldn't describe. He didn't think anything of it at first but after a while, he felt an uneasiness and decided to check on Mrs. Grey. He knocked for permission to enter in case she was awake but upon receiving no answer, he opened the door. Mrs. Grey wasn't in her bed. He entered the room and checked to find the bathroom door open and the light off. He then walked up to her bed and found her lying on the floor. He couldn't detect a pulse or signs of breathing and so immediately began CPR. He stopped for just the second it took to press the alarm button. The room filled up with white coats. He was shoved out of the way. Commands and medical jargon crashed around his ears. The doctors continued the CPR, a gurney appeared, Mrs. Grey was loaded onto it with a doctor straddling her and performing chest compressions. They quickly disappeared into the elevator. He ran down five flights and two blocks to the hospital entrance. He managed to get into the intensive care waiting room before they had time to stop him. Then he called Taylor. He called several times before Taylor picked up.

By the time he'd relayed all this information to Mr. Grey, Ryan was breathing hard and shaking. His condition momentarily distracted Grey from his own feelings. He asked a passing orderly to please bring Ryan a large glass of water and then he sat down next to him. He patted Ryan on his back and thanked him for his efforts.

"Good thing you have ears like a bat, Ryan," said Grey, "and good instincts. I take it that no one has come out to say anything?"

"No, sir, but they wouldn't tell me anything anyway as I'm not a relative," Ryan replied as he gulped down the water.

Trying to be calm, Grey asked the orderly to tell the doctors that Mrs. Grey's husband was waiting for word. Then he leaned back in the chair and tried to control his breathing. How many times had he rubbed Ana's back and soothed her, trying to control _her_ breathing. He thought of how he'd left her, knowing something wasn't right and thinking that he'd talk with her when he returned. He shouldn't have left. He should have had Ryan take Trev home. He sat stiffly and stared. He had to hold it together. He was no good to Ana if he allowed himself to be hysterical. Oh, god. Oh, god. Please, no. He just got her back.

It was minutes later, it was hours later, who knew? Finally, a woman in a white coat emerged from the no admittance doors. She walked up to Grey and asked if he was Mrs. Grey's husband. Yes, he answered. Just tell me. Is she alive? When the woman answered in the affirmative, Grey dropped his face into his hands, shaking and crying. Taylor and Ryan, on either side of him, put their arms around him.

"Her condition, doctor?" asked Taylor. The doctor didn't stand on ceremony. It was clear that this wasn't the time to ask if Taylor was a relative. Whoever these two men were, they clearly loved the husband and wife. She knelt down in front of Christian and put her hands on his knees.

"Mrs. Grey took a beating but she will be fine. I expect a complete recovery and in a day or so we'll be able to move her back into her room in The Ana. You can come in now and sit with her if you like."

If he liked? Grey stood up quickly and followed the doctor into the exam room. Ana was paler than usual but she was alive. She was alive!

"Her asthma attack was severe. She did have a cardiac event of some seriousness but there will be no lasting damage. She was lucky that your guard began CPR so quickly or we might have lost her. As you can see, we've had to reinstall a ventilator and the feeding tube. However, we think that it will only be for a few days. And, no," she smiled, "I can see the question in your eyes…she is not in a coma. She's going to be fine. Please sit with her as long as you like. Until then, drink water, please. You look awful and dehydration won't help matters."

"Doctor," Grey called her back as she moved to leave, "thank you for saving her life."

The doctor was not unaware that the man she was speaking with was devastatingly handsome and she was not immune to his looks but his obvious adoration of her patient tempered her fluttering heart. She'd never met Grey but she'd heard stories, hospital gossip, about Mr. Grey's utter devotion to his wife. Numerous women at the hospital, of all occupations, had talked about Mr. Grey in the cafeteria during lunch and breaks. Few were unaffected by his appearance. He was an unusual man in every respect and many would not have been sad to hear of his wife's demise and their possible shot at the Adonis. But those who had daily occasion to see him with his wife knew it was a lost cause to lust after Christian Grey. He didn't notice other women at all, no matter their beauty. They simply didn't exist. Only Ana.

Christian stepped out of the room and approached Ryan and Taylor, both standing nervously waiting for news.

"Ana is going to be fine. Ryan, the doctor says that you saved her life. Therefore, I now owe you mine. I hope someday to be able to repay you. Now, Taylor will take you home in the Mercedes and leave the R8 here for me to use tomorrow. Please reassure Gail, if you haven't already, and Ryan…I think that you need to take a couple of days off."

"No, sir. I'm fine. Really."

"Ana won't be returning to 5A for a couple of days, Ryan, and I'll want you well rested for duty, okay? Taylor, see that he stays home."

Then Grey returned to his wife's side to spend the night in a chair, holding her hand and resting his head on her belly. He'd sleep well, feeling her breathing.

CHAPTER 19

"Have you spoken to Grey yet?"

"No, there is nothing he could do anyway. It's my problem and, Lord knows, he has his own worries."

"How is his wife doing following her recent setback?"

"She's out of intensive care and awake. I think that she's doing better than he is. This was a close call after he just got her back. You know, he used to be such a rock that I didn't think anything could really bother him but he's a different man since he married Ana. I guess everybody has their breaking point and his showed up about the same time she did."

"Okay, then I'll keep my findings between us unless he specifically inquires."

"Agreed. What do you have?"

"The warden, along with some guards and inmates with whom I have contacts, tell me that Conrad prefers to keep to himself completely. He uses his daily hour of exercise to pace in his private outside kennel. The prisoners call those 12 x 6 fenced areas "dog runs". Adolf, on the other hand, uses his time out of solitary twice a month to receive visitors. We're running in-depths on those people except for one we already know….Jack Hyde."

"Yikes," exclaimed Taylor, "Welsh, why would Jack Hyde expose himself like that?"

"Simple. He promotes himself as Adolf's lawyer and he doesn't have to explain why he would represent a dangerous criminal's legal interest. He files frequent appeals on Adolf's behalf….looking for better treatment, a shorter sentence and, most particularly, removal from solitary to gen pop."

"Well, he isn't being paid now that Elena Lincoln's dead so there's only one reason for him to do this. He's hoping to get Adolf released at some point to do his bidding and there's only one thing he wants….revenge for his wife and protection for his son."

"Yeah. Still if that's his game, he's got a long wait for his vengeance. Adolf has to serve 20 years before he's even eligible for a parole hearing.

"I am glad to hear that Mrs. Grey is recovering so well. I know that it's been a long time coming. But don't give them my good wishes. I don't want my name to remind Grey that he has more to worry about. You'll take it all on, Taylor, right?" finished Welsh.

"That's the job. Talk to you soon." Taylor rang off and sat in a blue funk at his desk until he felt the soft, firm hands of his wife massaging his shoulders. He groaned from pleasure and leaned back to look up into her gentle blue eyes. He had once thought that he couldn't do this job with a wife to worry about and now he wondered how he'd managed it without her. She always had complete faith in his abilities and he tried hard to honor that faith. He'd never let the Greys down.

He sent emails to his entire team, asking them to attend a security meeting the next day…with the exception of Ryan. He needed to reiterate the seriousness of the situation. With Mrs. Grey safely tucked away in 5A for the past three years, Taylor felt that everyone had gotten a bit too comfortable. He needed them all to know that the Greys were still in grave danger and it was about to get worse with Ana's homecoming. Some of the crew had known Ana prior to her coma and had personal feelings about her. Many of the new guys saw her only as a target to be protected. Taylor needed them all to come together to watch out for her. He was also fearful for Trevelyan and the rest of the Greys. He wanted everyone on his security team to take their jobs personally.

And then there was his fear that some of them already did. They'd been thoroughly vetted but security men knew how to hide their backgrounds and their intentions. There was always the fear of a mole in their midst.

CHAPTER 20

Ana lay in her bed in 5A, with Christian lying on his stomach beside her, his arm draped over her. In the dim light of dawn, she could see her room, her home for more than three years. Every detail of it was familiar to her. Today was the last day that Ana would wake up in this room. Christian was taking her out into the world and to the penthouse in which he and their son lived. He'd told her that they would leave the building and ride in a car to a place called Escala. He told her so many more details but what she remembered most was his excitement. For days he'd been able to talk of little else. He didn't seem to notice that she was always quiet…that, indeed, she didn't even ask questions. She feared that he thought that his former life would return to him while she didn't even know what that was. She tried to think her way through the upcoming change.

She'd seen vehicles on the TV. They seemed to go very fast. She wondered what that felt like. Often, it seemed, the vehicles fairly flew through the streets, narrowly missing other vehicles, jumping over things. Many times the other cars on the street would crash into each other and there were a lot of fires. She would cry thinking of all the people in the other cars who must have been badly hurt or killed. Would they even make it to Escala safely?

She'd looked up 'penthouse' on Google….apartment or small house built on the roof of a skyscraper. Then she'd had to look up skyscraper because something couldn't really scrape the sky, could it? She spent a lot of time on Google. She kept a small notebook in which she noted all the ideas or words that she didn't know. Then she'd look them all up on Google.

Still she felt completely unprepared for this move. Her nurses wouldn't be there, nor her doctors. Christian explained that it would be Trev, him, her, Taylor, Gail and maybe one or two people from his security detail. Ana knew Trev and his daddy. And what would she do in that place? Here, in 5A, she had a daily schedule. What would everyone expect of her? She began to breathe harder and suddenly Christian was gently inserting an inhaler into her mouth. He lay on his side holding the inhaler and kissing her forehead until she was breathing easily. Then he removed the inhaler and put it on top of the nightstand.

"It's barely dawn. Unusual for you to be awake. Is something wrong, sweetheart?" he asked.

"Scared," is all Ana could say. Christian leaned over to kiss her cheeks, the first that Ana realized that she'd been crying. Then he pressed his lips to hers. For several minutes, his lips caressed hers and she felt other emotions. She wrapped her arms around his neck and ran her hands through his hair. She heard him groan as he buried his face in the crook of her neck. Then he did something that was new. He slipped his arms under her knees, lifting them. At the same time, he pulled his knees up to either side of her.

"Lock your ankles together around my back," he breathed softly. She did as told. He leaned on his elbows, pulling the two of them into a tight embrace. He raised his head and looked into her eyes. She was dazzled by the way his gray eyes grew dark and intense. She felt something new. It was somehow familiar but strange. He slipped inside her and then pulled out again. In and out. Again and again. She began to like the feeling. She squeezed her warm, soft walls around the part he'd pushed into her. She began a rhythm of pulling back when he did and then pushing forward to meet him. Slowly, a feeling began building inside of her, a good feeling, like a wave. The wave grew stronger and filled her whole body until something overcame her completely. She cried out, hearing Christian do the same. His elbows gave way and he wrapped his arms completely around her. She was so small that he could have crushed her but instead she loved the weight of him on her. He pulled her over onto their sides and they lay there panting for several minutes.

She opened her eyes to find tears in his.

"Christian, did I hurt you? Why are you crying?" she fretted.

"Oh, baby, baby. It's been more than three years since I've been inside you. You're my home, my favorite place to be. More than three years since I've felt safe and the world has felt right. That's all, baby. That's all. I just didn't realize how sad and scared I've been.

"Are you all right, Ana?" he asked. "Do you feel okay?"

"Yes, Christian. I was feeling scared, you know, of going out into a world I don't know but now I feel safe, too. That was sex, wasn't it? I googled it a while back," she smiled proudly. "Did I do it right?"

"Did you do it right?" Christian laughed. "I think you picked up something new. What was that squeezing you were doing? It was like you were hugging me."

"Oh, I don't know why I did that. It just felt right to do. Those are called Kegels. One day when I was talking to Kate, she made me laugh and I peed. I was really embarrassed. Kate explained that after three years I probably needed to regain control of my body and that squeezing like that would strengthen my muscles. So, did you like that?"

Holding Ana, Christian laughed and rolled onto his back.

"I _loved_ it! And I love that you still surprise me and delight me and make me laugh like no one else has ever been able to do. And I love you, Ana. Do you hear me? I am more in love with you than ever and I didn't think it possible to love you more."

"Okay. Hmmm…I think that I love you, too, Christian," Ana responded shyly.

"Oh, baby. Thank you, baby. Now, do you think that you can sleep for a while longer? We have a big day ahead."

Ana was calmer now. It would be a scary day but Christian would be there and he would always watch out for her. She would be okay and so she closed her eyes and fell back into sleep.

When next Ana opened her eyes, she was alone in the bed...and she didn't like it.

"Christian, Christian!" Her voice sounded panicked.

"Here. I'm right here. I was just getting dressed."

"I thought you'd left. I thought that you'd changed your mind because I'm going to be so much trouble….I know I am," Ana sniffled.

"You're wonderful trouble, my love. I'm never bored with you around. Comatose, you've still been the most interesting person I've ever known," he grinned.

Christian helped his wife out of bed and carried her into the bathroom.

"I can walk," Ana protested.

"I know. I just like to carry you," Christian beamed. Today he was going to take his wife home. His heart was singing. He helped her into the shower and began to undress so that he could join her but she protested that she knew how to do all these things now by herself. So, instead, he leaned against the wall and just watched. She was the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen and she was so, so thin. Her shoulders, her hips and rib bones. It almost hurt to look at her. Gosh, she was so pretty even so.

Ana didn't mind being watched. She was used to it. Her nurses allowed her to bathe alone as long as they stood close by. When she leaned back to rinse her hair and her breast stood out, Christian gasped. He figured that he had to get her into clothes fast before he got her back into bed. He'd had Caroline Acton send over a lot of new clothes in smaller sizes and had Bess move Ana's old clothes into an different closet. He didn't want Ana to realize how much weight she'd lost. It might disturb her.

As soon as he had her safely out of the shower and dried off, he insisted on drying her hair…just like he used to do. Her hair was so much longer now…a stark reminder of how long she'd been 'gone'. He felt a momentary pang of regret. Three years of life they'd missed out on.

He showed her the clothes she could wear home but she was perplexed a bit. She'd worn nothing but pajamas all this time. Sweaters, slacks, jeans, socks, blouses, etc. It was all too much. Christian realized that he had neglected to prepare Ana for wearing everyday clothing. He was sure that he'd forgotten other things as well so they'd just have to take on the problems as they came. It was a whole new world for all of them, looking through Ana's eyes.

Now he just picked out an outfit for her…a sweet pink sweater set, white skinny jeans, socks and loafers. Then she wanted a ponytail so he swept her hair up and tied it off. She was almost 29 years old and she didn't look a day over 17. She was pale and fragile in appearance but never, he thought, more beautiful.

There came a soft knock at the door and Taylor entered. He hadn't seen Ana awake yet and there she was. She didn't know him but she smiled and reached out a hand to shake his. He took her hand and bowed slightly. She was bewildered by his expression and manner. She didn't know that he was trying very hard to be professional when all he really wanted to do was hug her.

"Ana, this is Jason Taylor. You used to call him Taylor or sometimes Tay. He, of course, understands that you don't remember him but he certainly remembers you and missed you."

"Oh. Hello, Taylor. It is very nice to meet you…again, I guess. Christian has told me some things about you and your wife, Gail. I can't wait to meet the woman who has raised my son so well. Also, I'm so pleased to meet the man who protects my husband and son," Ana smiled.

"And you, too, Mrs. Grey. I protect you as well."

Taylor was pleasantly surprised that Ana seemed so normal. Christian had told him that Ana's speech had improved by leaps and bounds. She watched so much TV and tried to mimic the way other people spoke. Her speech therapist had told Christian that her job was done but to call if ever he needed advice. However, she said, Ana is quite intelligent and recovering her speaking abilities had gone well and that helped with her confidence.

"My wife and I are beyond thrilled to have you coming home to us," said Jason. "It has been a long and often a sad time without you. Now, your son will be home for lunch today so shall we go?"

"We won't crash or fly or anything on the way, will we?" Ana asked with wide eyes. Taylor looked confused and glanced at Christian as if to say…what the hell have you been telling her?

Grey knew it was the TV shows but he decided to conceal that info. It was more fun this way. He, instead, looked innocently at Taylor.

"Ah, no, Ma'am. It will be a quiet and very safe trip. There will be a lot that you'll want to look at as we go by, I'm sure. Would you like me to detour around the water?" he offered.

"Yes, Taylor! If you don't detour, we'll drown!" Ana protested as Grey stifled a snicker. One more dirty look from Taylor and they said farewell to 5A.

CHAPTER 21

As they settled into the SUV, Christian pulled Ana onto his lap. Taylor climbed into the driver's seat, attached his seatbelt and looked up to adjust the mirror. Then, huffing in disgust, he unattached his seatbelt and got out of the car. He walked around to Ana's side, opened the door, reached in and pulled her off of Christian's lap and attached her seatbelt. Christian could barely contain the fury he wanted to spew at Taylor even though he knew that he should not have Ana on his lap. He'd just gotten her back and now he wanted to risk her life? Still…damn Taylor and his freakin' good sense.

While Christian sulked, Ana was in constant motion…looking in all directions, exclaiming about everything she saw. And when Taylor circled the harbor, Ana screamed in amazement. So much water! Look, look, Christian! Where did they get all the water?! If she could have figured out how to unclick her seatbelt and open the locked car door, she would have dashed out with the car still moving. Christian seized the opportunity to growl into Taylor's ear that Ana would have been safer in his arms.

"Ana, we'll come back to the water soon. We'll go for a sail on the boat," Christian promised.

"But I don't have a boat," Ana sighed.

"_We_ have a boat," Christian smiled. He made a gesture, pointing at himself and then Ana.

"But I don't remember getting a boat. I'm sure that I don't have enough money for a whole boat," Ana said.

"I bought the boat before we got married, sweetheart, and when we married, it became _your_ boat, too."

Ana looked very confused. "When we got married, did I give you money so the boat could be mine as well?"

"Honey, when people get married, they commit to sharing an entire life together and that includes sharing everything they own. When we got married, what's yours became mine and what was mine became yours. Do you see?"

In the rearview mirror, Christian saw Taylor raise his eyebrows. Okay, so that wasn't quite the truth. It wasn't, in fact, even close to the truth. But Grey felt that it would be some time before he could tell Ana that they had originally had a fake and purely accidental marriage. She was still having trouble grasping the whole husband thing. Imagine trying to explain how they actually came to be a couple, a real couple. No, that would definitely be a discussion for way down the line. Right now, Ana had an understanding of things very much like a small child. Sure he missed the things that came with her adult personality….like her snarky sense of humor….but he loved _her_, in whatever form she was and whatever form she would be. He just loved Ana.

After the scenic tour, Taylor pulled into the underground garage of the Escala. He'd been pulling into that garage for so many years that he had it timed to the second. He'd whip around the corner, press the button and slide into home base a split second before the top of the car met the rising door. He was secretly smug about this…although Ana's scream took a bit of the wind out of his sails. He took his time unbuckling. Christian had been insisting since they married that _he_ open Ana's door so Taylor no longer rushed to accommodate his passengers.

Ana was in a highly agitated state. The trip home had filled her senses to overflowing and now she had to face the view from the 20th floor of Escala. The elevator going down just 5 flights to the main floor of The Ana had terrified her. 20 high-speed flights up to the penthouse elicited even greater terror. Grey wisely held the car at the 19th floor and tried to prepare Ana for what she would see when the doors opened.

"Okay, Ana. I know that the elevator was scary. We have only one flight to go and when the doors open, you will see a spectacular view of Seattle. The walls on one side are just windows. Don't be frightened. It's all quite safe. Are you ready?"

Ana nodded uncertainly. She gripped Christian's arm and held her breath. When the doors opened, Ana slowly lifted her tightly shut lids to see a strange blonde woman and a wall of drapes.

The blonde woman stepped forward with a big smile and teary eyes. It was clear that she was holding herself back. Instead of hugging Ana, she put forth her hand. Ana felt the strangest emotion and shyly asked Gail if she would mind if Ana put her arms around her.

"You seem familiar to me. Have we hugged before?" she asked as she embraced Gail. Gail was now full-on weeping as she wrapped her arms around the woman she thought of as a daughter. She held her as tightly as she could, trying hard to not overwhelm Ana. Ana, however, felt content and safe. When she finally pulled back a bit to look at Gail, she asked if she was the woman who had been raising Trev. Gail couldn't speak. She simply nodded as she tried to get the lump out of her throat.

"He is a wonderful little boy and Christian tells me that you have much to do with that. I don't know how to ever thank you for loving him like your own. I hope that you'll help me to learn how to mother him. I'm kind of at a loss right now."

Gail found her voice and looked at Ana. She put her hands on her face and looked into the blue eyes she'd so missed for so long.

"My darling girl, your memory may be gone but your instincts are still with you. You will be a wonderful mother as you've been a wonderful friend, wife and employer. You've no idea how hard it has been to be without you all these years. Every night I spent time on my knees begging God to bring you back to us, to me. Mr. Grey had always been a good employer…thoughtful and appreciative…but his greatest gift was bringing you into our lives."

"Gail," Christian said gently, "it hasn't been 'Mr. Grey' for a long time and that doesn't change now that Ana is home. It is still Christian…please."

"Of course, Christian. Now I drew the drapes because I thought the view might be too much at first for Ana. Once you get used to it, you will love it. Do you want to come over and take a peek, dear?"

Ana nodded eagerly as Gail took her hand and lead her to the window. She pulled the drapes back just enough for Ana to see but not be frightened. Ana gasped and took a step back.

"Christian, we can see everything from here, even the water."

"Do you feel brave enough to have Gail open the drapes all the way?" he asked as he slipped his arm around her waist and kissed her temple.

"You won't left me fall?" Ana voice quavered. Christian chuckled. "I just got you back. Do you think I'd just let you fall out a window?" Ana shook her head and nodded to Gail to draw back the drapes. Immediately, her legs trembled and Christian had to hold her up. She clutched his waist and stared with eyes ready to pop out of her head. Then she moved a little closer until she was against the glass. She put her hands on the window and let her eyes wander in all directions.

A couple of weeks earlier, Jason and Christian had discussed living at Ambrosia Lane. Jason had serious reservations about Ana's safety living out there and Christian also felt that Ana should be at Escala instead. Maybe, subconsciously, it would feel familiar. Now that decision seemed to be a good one.

Gail stood back with Jason. He put his arm around her shoulders and squeezed a bit. She leaned into him and let the tears fall. She loved Christian like a son…even through his BDSM years. He'd given her Jason and Ana and Trev and little Sophie, Jason's daughter. She had a wonderful life because of him. She sighed, pulled herself together, reached up to kiss Jason and then went off to the kitchen to begin preparations for lunch. It was a special day…a macaroni and cheese day.

"Mommy!" Trev tore into the room and raced for his mother. It was the first time he hadn't run to greet his father first but Christian wasn't jealous. This was the day for which he'd waited more than three years…to see his son run into his mother's arms. Ana got down on one knee and enfolded her son in her embrace. Without realizing it, she was beginning to understand being a mother.

"Were you a good boy today or an absolute devil who drove his teacher mad?" she looked at Trev with mock seriousness. Trev tapped his finger to his lips, mock seriously considering his mother's question.

"I knew you coming home today and it hard to be still like she said so…hmmm…maybe some good. I told everybody about you and you come to live with me now and they was excited, too. They wanna meet sleeping beauty…like in the story and prince charming who waked her up with a kiss so you and Daddy have to come to school soon, Mommy," Trev insisted.

"Well, I hope that everybody is hungry because I made mac and cheese and red velvet cupcakes for dessert," Gail called out, luring everyone to the dining area. Ana smiled to see her husband and son dive into their servings of mac and cheese. She noticed that Taylor didn't seem as enthused.

"Do you not like this kind of food, Taylor?" she whispered.

"I'm more of a meat and potatoes kind of guy, Ana. Mac and cheese is for kids," he nodded toward Trev and Christian. Ana giggled. Her boys certainly looked enthused.

"Ana, eat. You have a lot of weight to regain," chided Christian.

"I'm not very hungry." Christian stared disapprovingly at her and Gail winked at Jason. This was a very familiar situation. Ana was never hungry and Christian was always prodding her.

"Okay, honey. I'll eat some," she said as she spooned up a glop into her mouth. "It's good!" she exclaimed in surprise. "We never had this at the hospital."

"You never ate much at the hospital. It worried me. You've never had a big appetite but I want you to try so you can regain your strength, okay?" Christian looked so concerned that Ana couldn't help but touch his cheek and nod.

"I'll try," she promised, "but you don't know what it's like to not feel hunger. It's very hard to put food in your mouth when your mouth doesn't want it."

Trev laughed, showing a mouthful of mac and cheese. After he swallowed it, he said, "Mommy funny. Her mouth not want food."

Ana managed to down half of her plate and half of a cupcake. The second half with which Jason was pleased to help her out. Apparently, red velvet cupcakes _were_ for adults.

After lunch, Christian and Ana took their little boy up to his room. Trev showed Ana everything, most especially his train. He really wanted to show her how to crash but Christian vetoed that plan until after his nap. Ana decided to take a nap with him. It had already been a very big day for her and her eyes were heavy with fatigue. Christian kissed both his blessings and tucked them in. He'd seen them like this before, at The Ana, but this time it was at home. Ana was home.

When he got downstairs, he went into his study. Taylor had given him a lifted eyebrow just after lunch. Over the years of working together, they understood each other's signals. He found Taylor sitting in his favorite chair, waiting. Christian sat in _his_ chair behind his desk and cocked his head at his security chief.

"Yes, well, I wondered whether to bring this up on Ana's first day back but it's been on my mind and I figured you'd catch me thinking," Taylor chuckled.

"I knew that there was something since you picked us up at the hospital," Christian grinned. "I suppose that you've been in touch with Welsh."

"Yes. He had some news I didn't want to hear. Conrad, it appears, has maintained a preference for solitary. When he gets his hour out, he goes directly to the dog run and paces. He never has mail or visitors. He doesn't even speak with his guards."

"Well, that's good, isn't it?" asked Grey.

"Yes, that's good, I'd say. Unless it's just a ploy to get approval to return to the general population. However, Adolf uses 2 of his hours to see a visitor and engages in deep conversation."

"With whom?" Christian demanded, hoping that Taylor would say his mother or one of those silly pen pal girls who write to inmates.

Taylor just looked directly at Christian, as if to say, "now, who do you think?"

"Damn. Have any of our informants been able to hear any of the conversations?"

"No. Welsh spoke with the warden who said that he thinks that much of their conversation has to do with finding a way to get Adolf transitioned into the gen pop. That's where he'd find someone to help Hyde. As long as Adolf is in solitary, he can't talk anyone into doing a job for him."

"A job." Christian rubbed his face with his hands in frustration. "The _job_ being killing my wife."

"I suppose we could try putting out a press release detailing Ana's recovery and how it **does not** include her memory. If Hyde thought that she couldn't harm his son…."Taylor stopped.

"What?" Christian asked.

" _**I**_ killed his wife yet he still blamed Ana. No, Christian, he wants revenge and we don't even know how deep his anger goes by now. It could definitely include the whole family. I've already beefed up security, personal and covert, on all the Greys."

"Ana's gonna love this."

"Ana _didn't_ love it but that was three years and one child ago," Taylor pointed out. Just as he said this, a blood-curdling scream rang out from the great room. Taylor and Christian jumped to their feet and raced out to find Ana sitting on the balcony floor, tightly clutching Trev…who looked frightened and bewildered.

CHAPTER 22

Ana was sobbing hysterically as she held Trev. Christian put his arms around both of them but he couldn't get Ana to stop crying or Trev to stop shaking. He looked up at Gail for answers.

"I heard Ana scream and I turned around to see Trev out on the balcony standing on his little stool, the one he uses at the sink, sailing paper airplanes off the side. He had a pile of them so he must have been out there for a while. Ana grabbed him and well…then you came out. I'm so sorry, Christian. I should have been paying closer attention. With the kitchen noise, I didn't even hear him open the door."

"It isn't your fault, Gail. I think that my son and I are going to have a talk," he looked sternly at Trev.

"I scare Mommy? I sorry, Mommy. I not sleepy so I play." Trev's lips trembled. Ana had calmed finally and was breathing heavily as she held Trev and leaned against Christian. She started to wheeze when Christian took an inhaler offered by Taylor and slipped it into Ana's mouth. She pumped while Christian waited for the medication to take effect. He made a mental note to read up on asthma. What if the inhaler didn't work sometime? What would he do then? Finally, Ana relaxed and apologized for screaming.

"It just seemed as though he was about to fall off the balcony. I've never been so scared in all my life." She stopped for a moment. "Have I?"

Christian stifled a laugh. "Well, I don't recall a scream like _that_ ever coming out of you." He kissed her head.

"Trev's been living with that balcony since he was born and he knows that he isn't supposed to be out here without an adult present. I don't know what got into him. Trev, care to explain yourself?"

"Hmm…I not know, Daddy. Mommy sleeping and I not and I think of paper airplanes. I know I not 'spose to be on balcony but I think I big boy now. Daddy, I not big boy?" Trev asked innocently.

"No, Trev. Not yet. I'll let you know, okay. You don't make that decision on your own."

"Yes, Daddy," Trev grumbled. "I take nap now. I really tired."

Trev trudged up the stairs, heaving great exaggerated sighs as he made his way to his room.

Christian looked down at Ana, her eyes closed. He feared their son was going to be too much for her fragile health so soon after leaving the hospital. He smiled at Gail who nodded her reassurance that she was still Trev's nanny. Such a treasure of a woman. It suddenly occurred to him that she and Taylor were a great part of his success in business and life. Without their support, he may not have found himself with a great business and a great wife. He picked Ana up and carried her into their bedroom. He removed their shoes and pulled her back, close to his chest. After his talk with Taylor, he needed a nap as well. Maybe a solution would appear to him in a dream.

Something came to him in his dreams, all right. Bits and pieces of horror. His wife lying cold in the snow. Trev running down the street in terror, looking behind him at his pursuers. He and Taylor chasing someone in a car. The Hydes standing, looking on and grimly laughing. It went on and on, round and round, in Grey's head. He tried to reach Ana. He tried to save Trev but they were always just out of reach each time. And the Hydes were ghosts who faded in and out.

Christian woke in a cold sweat, moaning softly into Ana's hair and holding her to keep her safe. Ana was breathing peacefully. She'd turned in her sleep to face Christian and burrow into his chest. She was safe, for now…but how much longer? What would he do with all the threats against her? Hyde was a maniac…could he be reasoned with?

Grey determined to visit the Hydes in Portland. Perhaps he could convince them that Ana was of no danger to Ian and that it would be in the interest of all if they let bygones be bygones. It was worth a shot and would at least give him and Taylor a reading on the Hydes. It had been four years since they'd collided. Perhaps they had no vendetta against the Greys any longer…just a fear that the Grey's held one against them. Grey prayed that the Hydes could be reasoned with. If not, Grey wouldn't hesitate to do whatever necessary to keep the happiness he'd found.

The next morning Grey called the firm of Dallas, Rodgers and Hyde to make an appointment. The Hydes were surprised, to say the least, but interested in speaking with Grey. He and Taylor flew up in Grey's helicopter, Charlie Tango, later that week. Elliot argued that he should go along in case some muscle was call for but Kate reminded him that Christian had plenty of muscle in his employ and Elliot had two small children. Thus, sense and sensibility won out.

It was a quiet flight, partly due to Taylor's fear of flying and partly due to Grey's need to run over and over his game plan. He had to offer peace without letting on that Grey suspected Hyde of nefarious intentions. He still had no idea of how to do that even as he landed atop the Heathman Hotel's heliport. He and Taylor checked in, freshened up after their 90 minute flight and settled into their BMW rental. Even the choice of rental vehicle was a problem. A Mercedes might make the Hydes think that Grey was chasing bragging rights but a lesser brand might make the Hydes feel more comfortable. Grey needed a middle ground.

As they pulled up to the Hyde Law Offices, they were surprised that they were plusher than expected. They were also surprised to find both Hydes awaiting them outside the door, arms crossed and faces firm. Suddenly, both Grey and Taylor felt very unsure of their presence there.

CHAPTER 23

"Grey, Taylor," Jack Hyde gave a clipped greeting to the men he knew had killed his wife. To be fair, Hyde wasn't a good husband and didn't care to be. He didn't miss Doreen but still, she was his and he felt that no one else had the right to kill her.

Ian, who'd grown pudgier and now sported the blotchy red nose of an alcoholic, was courteous. He put out a hand to shake Grey's while ignoring Taylor.

"Good morning," Jack said. "Your flight went well?"

Grey nodded and Jack shrugged, "Too bad. Well, come inside. It's getting chilly out here."

The offices were well-appointed with fine leather seating, wood-paneled walls, and a good-looking blonde behind a fancy table. She smiled politely and asked if she ought to make fresh coffee or tea. Jack answered for everyone. No.

The men went into what Grey assumed to be Jack's office…only because it was ostentatious…the same leather and wood. There were also several fine paintings of hunting dogs with dead birds hanging from their mouths.

"I didn't know that you either hunted or liked dogs, Jack."

"I don't. My late wife," he spoke while glaring at Taylor, "thought they fancied the place up. She was also responsible for the two walls of law books. Of course, with everything on the internet now, the books are just for looks. Does your father still keep a library?"

"Yes, after all his years practicing, he feels more comfortable with books than with google," Grey said with an attempt at a smile.

"Well," Jack replied, "the effect seems to reassure my clients more than a simple laptop."

Jack looked up at Ian who stood, as if at attention, off to one side.

"Ian, please retire to your office while Mr. Grey and I talk. You need to prepare for that deposition tomorrow."

Ian nodded and, without a word, turned on his heel and left the room. Grey wondered if young Hyde had an impressive office or if it was considered unnecessary. The "boy", only a few years younger than Christian himself, seemed decades behind Grey.

"I've never had occasion to offer my sincere condolences on the loss of your wife, Jack," Grey said sincerely, "even if she was trying to kill my own wife at the time. Still, I'm sorry for your loss."

Hyde threw his head back, laughing manically.

"That's rich. Oh, well, don't feel too badly about it. Doreen had been going off the rails for some time. She was always a bit balmy, to tell the truth. She loathed me but adored our son. Spoiled him. After he raped your wife, she excused it by saying that the girl was lucky to have been deflowered by a boy of such prominence, good looks and future prospects. She considered Anastasia Steele to be white trash and was appalled that her fair-haired boy was interested in such a creature. When Ana told my son of her pregnancy, Doreen was apoplectic. I told her to simply pay off the girl and let it go but she couldn't imagine a child of such low class parentage being connected to our esteemed family so she told Ian to take her to a doctor for an abortion."

"That was your wife's idea?" Grey expressed surprise.

"Doreen came from good stock, as they say. That was why I married her. I thought that she was a silly little thing but her familial connection would advance my career. Ian, always a weak-willed child, did as his mother said and hauled Ana off for an abortion. If Ana's mother hadn't made such a fuss, that would have been the end of it. It was Carla's big mouth that soured the pot. Doreen told Ian to rough up Ana and make sure that she feared him enough to keep her mouth shut."

Hyde leaned forward, his arms on his desk.

"I want you to know, Grey, that I was ignorant of much of this. Doreen jealously guarded her control over Ian. Since I'd come from a poor background, my wife considered me unsuitable for raising our child. She wanted him to have grace, charm, the appearance of good-breeding and all that went with being a Wentworth. She truly felt that I had nothing to offer our boy but rough language and low morals. Ironic, eh?"

"Then what of the show you put on at my parent's gala several years ago…goading Ian into tormenting Ana? I know that you were pushing him as much as your wife."

"Oh, Dallas blabbed, did he? He couldn't stand me. Took me into the firm only on the urging of the Wentworths. Yes, I did encourage my son to bid relentlessly on a chance to dance with Ana. I must admit that I rather enjoyed the consternation of your family. I had nothing against Ana, especially. I was watching you and your fancy family. To me, you were the same as the Wentworths. I don't suppose you'd have any idea what it is like to be considered an ill-bred, wrong side of the tracks, social climber… as I'd been all my life. And Doreen being like she was, I was the best she could do as far as a husband. To her family, I never measured up and never would."

"So, are you trying to tell me that you have nothing against Ana personally? Christian asked with doubt.

"Oh, I did get caught up in the fray for a while. My son, god bless him, is a dolt but still my son. I didn't know anything about Ana personally but I did know Carla Steele…a bigger tramp, you'll never meet. I just assumed that Ana was the same. Then when she married you so suddenly and on the sly, I assumed that she maneuvered her way into a good situation, operating in the same way as Carla. However, I was intrigued that with all your billions she still wanted to teach, esp. in the projects. Using your money to build that community centre was also impressive.

"Of course, Ana's betterment of her situation only infuriated Doreen further. No matter what evidence to the contrary, Ana was a trashy tramp who was devoting _her_ life to making my _son's_ an embarrassment. I watched as her hatred of Ana and the Steele family grew but I never dreamed that she would take it as far as she did.

"When I learned that she had followed Ana to Aspen and tried to shoot her, I was aghast. I thought that both my son's and my law careers were finished. I expected the Greys to come at us with every bit of firepower you had. I must say I was surprised when nothing happened. The word simply spread that Doreen was unbalanced and we were inundated with condolences. Her social circle knew. They knew. They merely felt bad for us."

"And how did Ian feel, Jack?" probed Grey.

"Broken, I'm afraid. He'd leaned on his mother for everything. Hardly knew what to do without her "guidance". I've been working overtime to try to establish a relationship that he can depend on."

"I must say, Jack, that none of this, so willingly offered, is expected…or entirely believable either," Grey responded.

"I'd feel that same way but I repeat. My relationship with my wife was near-nonexistent. We rarely spoke. At social affairs, we stood on opposite sides of the room. We didn't talk on the way home and we kept separate quarters since she became pregnant with Ian. I wanted another child but she decided that one was enough. Weeks could go by without seeing one another. I was busy building a career and she was busy building Ian into the lapdog he is today."

"Did your extracurricular activities perhaps have something to do with your distance from your wife?" Grey stated snidely.

"You know about that? That damn Elena Lincoln. She tried to blackmail me into various schemes of hers. Wanted me to find a way to launder the profits from her club. I think that Doreen heard us on the phone and figured out what I was doing at The Black Cat. Even though she wanted nothing to do with me, she was afraid that I'd embarrass the family. I don't have any proof but I suspect that she had something to do with Elena's murder."

"And the bombing of my wife's car outside of her school? A lot of people got hurt…some very badly. One of my own men was off work for six months recovering from his injuries."

"I don't know about that."

"Doreen confessed to me and my wife that day at the lodge in Aspen. She was bragging about the stupidity of the police who hadn't figured that the explosive was planted by her."

Hyde's eyes widened. "Good grief. Where the hell did she get her hands on explosives and how did she find people to plant them?"

"Did you know that_ she_ hired Adolf and Conrad to target our cars and the others on the freeway?"

"I'm afraid that I have to claim attorney/client privilege on that one," Hyde grimaced.

"Why do you go to see Adolf so often? What do you discuss?" Grey grilled Hyde.

"Attorney/client privilege again. However, I can tell you that while Conrad prefers solitary, Adolf wants very much to rejoin the general population."

"Why?" Taylor demanded, leaning over the desk and staring down Hyde.

"Why do you think? Ever been in solitary? He's going nuts. He's a little crazier every time I see him but I can't get him out. Say, you wouldn't have anything to do with that, would you?"

"We've been curious about your frequent visits to the prison, Jack."

"I'm Adolf's defense attorney, Grey. Now that my wife is dead, the judge decreed that there was no longer a conflict, esp. since we have no evidence that she ever paid them for the freeway shootings. Adolf still claims that the shootings were strictly his and Conrad's ideas. Adolf really hates rich people. I think you'd better hope that he stays in solitary. He considers it a failure that he wasn't able to get you and the passengers in your car. I keep going to see him to advise the warden that he _stay_ in solitary. I fear that if he gets out, he'll try to make contacts to finish the job or jobs he started. I also feel safer having him locked away. He's angry with me for not getting him what he wants. I don't enjoy our visits. I don't want to have to haul myself up to that prison twice a month but I don't want to get on his sh*t list either.

"This conversation has been most enlightening, Jack. The information you so willingly shared is not at all what we expected. We're not sure what to believe. However, I do want you to know that my wife is back at home and she is not threat to anyone in your family. She's lost her memory completely and it isn't coming back. So, if you have any reason to stop her talking, it isn't necessary."

"If you mean about the rape, I didn't think that she'd have any intention to try to ruin our son's reputation as a decade had already passed without her saying a word. Doreen worried constantly, however. I don't know how much of that fear she inculcated in our son but I'll talk to him. I'm not fond of you bunch but I don't want trouble with the law either."

"Good to hear, Jack. As long as my family is safe, your son is safe. Thank you for taking the time to talk with us."

Grey and Taylor were quiet all the way back to the heliport, each keeping their thoughts to themselves. There was a lot to think about. The visit to Portland had not gone as they thought it would, leaving them wondering what to think.

CHAPTER 24

"Gail, where is Christian?" asked Ana. She felt a little unsure of her footing without her husband nearby. He'd been getting dressed when she woke up. She was used to him being with her when she opened her eyes. He'd reassured her that he just had some business to tend to but that he'd be back for dinner. Mid-afternoon, Ana had the first of two asthma attacks and, exhausted, turned in for a nap.

"Don't you remember, dear? He and Taylor had some business to tend to and promised to be back for dinner. It's almost dinner time so I expect them at any moment. Don't worry. Christian is always punctual. You could get Trev up from his nap and get him ready for dinner."

"I wake him. Take him to the bathroom. Have him wash up. Right?" Ana was still learning what a mother does with a little boy.

"That's right, Ana. He isn't the easiest child to get up from a nap," smiled Gail.

A few minutes later, Ana stood in Trev's room, looking down at her son. She was slowly but surely getting a grasp on the relationship that she had with this child. Christian had gotten several books, children's books, about being a mother. However, Ana still found herself unsure of how this child came to be hers. Christian had explained that Trev grew inside of her just like baby Ross and Ava had grown inside Kate. Ana remembered that Kate had a big belly and then one day she didn't anymore because Ross had been born. She still didn't know how Ross got inside Kate and Christian seemed reluctant to tell her. Something about eggs and seeds and fertilization.

"Trev, Trev, wake up now. It's almost time for dinner and Daddy will be home soon."

Trev grumbled and buried himself deeper under the covers.

"Trev, don't you want to see Daddy and Taylor and eat yummy food? We have to get out of bed and go to the bathroom and wash our hands. Trev?"

Ana looked at her little boy and felt a strong emotion. She liked him a lot and wanted to make him happy. Maybe she'd let him sleep a while longer. She couldn't hear any activity downstairs so Christian wasn't home yet. She climbed onto the bed beside Trev. She used to like when he'd sleep next to her at The Ana. Within a few moments, she had fallen asleep.

Gail, busy in the kitchen, hadn't noticed the time going by. The elevator pinged and she looked up to see her men arriving home. Then she looked at the time and realized how much had passed since she'd sent Ana to get Trev.

"Did things go well?" she asked Taylor. He looked rather glum and she thought that her question was probably rhetorical. He shrugged. Christian had the same expression on his face. He looked around and noticed the quiet.

"Is Ana ok?"

"She had a rather trying afternoon. I think that she just missed you." Christian smiled.

"She had two attacks but got them under control pretty well. I sent her up to Trev's room a while ago to get him up from his nap. I don't know what's keeping them."

"I'll go check. Dinner?"

"Ten minutes."

In Trev's room, Christian stood looking down at his raison d'etre for living. His _two_ raison d'etres. They were curled up together, breathing evenly and peacefully. He felt that his heart would burst with love. His old life…working 18 hour days…spending weekends whipping and caning and fucking submissives…seemed like a bad dream. For the life of him, he couldn't remember why BDSM and Elena Lincoln had such a hold on him. This, this in front of him, was heaven on earth. That other life was nothing, worthless.

"Hmmm…smells delicious, sweetheart," smiled Taylor as he wrapped his arms around his wife from behind as she stirred the gravy. "Baked potatoes. Why are you making gravy? Grey and his wife prefer butter."

"You forget. I have this wonderful husband who prefers gravy. I've made enough for a bedtime snack," replied Gail, standing on tiptoe to kiss her man.

"You forget. You're my bedtime snack," grinned Taylor.

"Hon, will you run up and see what's keeping the rest of our family. First, I sent Ana. She didn't return. Next, I sent Christian. He hasn't returned. You're not expecting a kidnapping or such, are you?" laughed Gail.

"Oh, my dear. You never know," grimaced Taylor as he stole one last kiss and headed for the stairs.

He stood at the foot of Trev's bed. It was a kind of Goldilocks and the Three Bears situation. Only in this story, it was the three bears all cuddled together and fast asleep. He debated with himself. Then he reached over Trev and Ana and shook Grey's shoulder.

"Sir, do you want to get up for dinner?" Nothing.

"Sir, need I remind you what happens when Trev gets too long a nap?" Nothing.

"Sir, we're having pot roast, baked potatoes, a salad." He considered bringing the roast upstairs and waving it under Grey's nose. Finally he sighed and went back down the stairs.

Suddenly, he stopped on the stairs, a memory washing over him. Trev, almost two, making his way up the stairs for the first time with his father following behind, arms ready to catch his son if need be. For all of his life, Trev had slept in a crib in his father's bedroom downstairs. But now he was walking really well. He seemed to have skipped the toddle stage. He didn't like the crib. It was too confining. So, reluctantly, Grey conceded that perhaps it was time for Trev to move into his own room. Thus, he installed a railing at Trev's height, carpeted the stairs and held his breath. Gail, Taylor and Bess at the base of the stairs, holding their breath as well. But Trev made it. It took another six months before everyone was able to relax.

"They're all asleep in a little pile of Greys. I tried to wake Christian but…hell, I'm hungry. Let's eat and save their portions in the warmer."

So, for the first time in a long time, Gail and Taylor had an intimate dinner for two. Gail lit two candles and put on some soft music. They ate and shared memories of the days when Trev was little. It didn't seem that he was a baby for long before he was a little boy. He walked early. He talked early. He had opinions early, too. They laughed as they recalled him 'advising' them on various matters. For instance, Grey had never been one for desserts. He ate healthy. But after Trev started daycare, he learned about pie and cupcakes and ice cream. When Daddy told him that the Greys didn't eat sugar, Trev said that yes they did and it wasn't long before Daddy had to add ½ hour to his workout. Taylor's daughter, Sophie, was also very pleased with the change in menu.

As Gail and Taylor enjoyed their berry pie and ice cream, they heard an "ahem" behind them. Looking around, they spied three sleepy people frowning at them.

"Too late. We ate it all," teased Taylor who immediately regretted his words as Trev burst into tears.

Taylor leapt to his feet and picked up Trev. "Hey, hey, little buddy. I was just kidding. There's lots of food left. Did you wash up?"

Trev wiped his eyes with the back of his hands and nodded. "Mommy and Daddy, too. We all clean."

"Well, then," said Taylor as he settled Trev in his booster seat, "let's feed you."

"Sorry, Gail. I don't know what happened," Grey apologized.

"Your son and wife looked so sweet that you couldn't bear to wake them and so you thought that you'd just lie down with them for a while?" Gail guessed.

"Hmm…yeah, I guess that's what happened," smirked Grey as he pulled out Ana's chair and Ana giggled. Gosh, he loved that sound. He leaned down and kissed the top of her head.

He and Taylor smiled at each other. They had such a lovely family here. They really wanted to believe Jack Hyde…..but they couldn't take that chance.

CHAPTER 25

After dinner, Ana and Trev crashed trains and built Lego castles. Christian and Taylor retired to the study and got Welsh on speaker.

"Well, that's about all of it, I guess. Did I forget anything, boss?" Taylor had related the entirety of their meeting with Hyde. Grey often marveled at Taylor's memory. It was his training. Both as a military man and a security chief, he couldn't afford to overlook a single detail.

"Why do you bother asking me, Jason?" Grey smirked, shaking his head.

There was silence for a while as Welsh considered what Taylor had said.

"I take it that you two doubt the veracity of Hyde's version of the facts."

"It just seems too good to be true. He had an answer for everything, Welsh. I just hope that we've convinced him that we believe him."

"Let's see how soon he visits Adolf again. If he goes up to see him in just a day or two, I'd be inclined to believe that he was slinging sh*t at you.

"What kind of vibe did you get off Ian, Grey?"

"Same as Taylor. He was an automaton. No expression. He was either very good at hiding his feelings or he doesn't have any. Whether he'd be capable of getting revenge without his father's help, I don't know. I trust my instincts and I certainly trust Taylor's and both of us feel that something is off. If Ana was safe, I'd feel it. Taylor would feel it. As it stands, neither of us feel it. And I'm awfully tired of living this way. Seems like I've been worried about Ana from the beginning."

"Well, I can't speak for Taylor," Welsh said, "but while sometimes your fear is justified, a lot of the time you're afraid just because you love the woman so much. Here I go philosophizing but…most people have love in their lives and maybe get used to it, even take it for granted. Ana is a unique experience for you. You've never allowed yourself to need anyone and now that you do, you're hyper-aware. You probably freak out when she crosses the street," Welsh laughed.

"Thanks for the analysis, Freud. Did you ever see my wife try to cross a street? She paid no attention to the signal. She is so trusting, she'd just walk out in front of oncoming traffic while reading a book.

As Taylor and Welsh chuckled, Grey swore that it wasn't a laughing matter.

" Well," concluded Welsh, "I'll let you know if Hyde goes to see Adolf. If he keeps to his routine, he shouldn't be going up there for another week. Say, Hyde didn't mention how Doreen managed to be an well-bred, high-class Wentworth and still have the ability to find lowlifes like Adolf and Conrad? I wouldn't think that they'd travel in the same circles."

"Folks like the Wentworths often have "people" and dirt in their backgrounds. That's how they got rich. Dad recalls when they put down an attempt to form a union at one of their factories. Workers were visited by union busters for little chats," grimaced Christian.

"I remember that, too," added Taylor. "It was probably 10 years ago. The workers tried to organize but they kept having accidents and lots of bad luck. They couldn't pin any of it on the Wentworths, however, and all the judges and police in the pockets of the Wentworths kept them looking squeaky clean."

"Well, I'll do a little digging on the Wentworths. Sounds like it could be interesting," said Welsh.

Then the line went dead. Welsh didn't usually bother with niceties like hello and goodbye.

"I think," said Taylor, "that we've done all we can today. Let's just try to enjoy life for a while. Let Welsh worry about the details."

"You are aware that you're my chief of security and in charge of worrying, right?" Christian grinned.

"I'm off the clock. I'm going to spend the evening with my wife. By the way, that extra potato is _mine_. It had better still be in the warmer in a couple of hours."

"Geez, relax. I won't touch your potato. I should go work out for a while anyway," growled Grey.

"See you in the morning…. barring emergencies, of course. Please don't have any," Taylor grinned.

After seeing Taylor out, Grey stood at the doorway watching his wife play with his son. They were having a competition to see who could devise the worst crash scenario for his train set. Christian had to smile. He knew that Trev would win because he was ruthless whereas Ana would worry that people might be hurt. He really wanted Trev to be more like Ana than him.

Ana felt his eyes on her as she watched her son set up his crash. She turned to look at Christian, saw his gray eyes darken and knew immediately that it was quite near Trev's bedtime. Grey was wearing a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up and the top two buttons open, showing a bit of chest hair. Ana felt her heart clenching. Ever since she and her husband had begun having sex, their need for each other had increased in frequency and intensity. Or perhaps it was her need. His seemed to have always been there. Even though sex was new to Ana, she was surprised to find that she really liked it. Christian was so, so…she couldn't think of the words.

Vocabulary was also new to her. Every day she spent time learning new words. Christian had told her that she was a Harvard grad with a 4.0 GPA. She didn't know what that was so she googled it. It made her cry to think that once she was so smart and now she knew so little that sometimes she didn't even know how to express herself. She didn't want to keep asking her husband what people were saying. She wanted him to be proud of her. She spent hours reading and looking up the words. She'd heard him on the phone once, refusing an invitation to Sunday lunch…or was it brunch? He told the person that Ana wasn't strong enough yet to face so many people. She figured that Christian was ashamed of her. He was such a brilliant man and she was the dope that he married. Well, she hadn't been a dope _then. _She'd just woken up a dope. Now she looked up at him and he was looking back. She knew _that_ look. He wanted her….now. And she wanted him.

"Okay, Trev, that crash will have to wait until tomorrow. It's time for your bath and bed."

"No, Mommy. It early. One more hour."

"No, son. Mommy is right."

"Okay, I go bed. You go bed now, too?

"Yes, son. Your mother and I can hardly wait to be in bed together, right, Mommy?" Christian snickered. Ana giggled and picked up Trev to carry him upstairs. A teeth-brushing, short story and a couple of kisses and Trev was off to slumber land. Ana and Christian fairly flew to their bedroom.

They couldn't get their clothes off fast enough between kissing and groping.

"I should brush my teeth," Christian said as he ran his mouth all over Ana's chest.

"Me, too." Ana agreed breathlessly she scratched his back.

Together they stood at the sinks, brushing and laughing so hard that they were spraying toothpaste foam all over the mirror. Finally, done with that, they decided that they would start with Ana's favorite new thing…sucking her husband's dick. Kate had told her about that and Ana had expressed absolute and total horror. Despite having had sex a number of times, she'd never actually looked…well…down to see what exactly her husband was using to go inside her. She was too embarrassed to ask for a look so she asked Kate who showed her pictures of Elliot's penis on her phone. She made Ana promise to never ever tell because Elliot would be mortified.

One night Christian had been inside her so much that she was sore. Still she didn't want to stop and Christian gently suggested "oral sex". Ana recognized the term from Kate's tutorial and decided to give it a go. She completely expected it to be awful. Men _peed_ from there, for gosh sakes. Ana did it out of purest love for Christian. She didn't think that she did it very well and she thought _that stuff_ tasted icky but Christian's eyes rolled back in his head. He just fell apart right in front of her. He always had raging orgasms but apparently having to do nothing but lie there while she treated his penis like a popsicle was an extra special treat. Thus, Ana practiced on bananas to see if she could get them really far back and suck really hard. She got used to his taste and found that if she had his penis at the back of her throat when he came that the liquid bypassed her taste buds. Now she loved to delight him. And so she did. Then he, in turn, delighted her. He spent so much time "down there", as she shyly referred to her genitals, because he thought that she tasted delicious. And, yeah, he confessed, he loved it when _her_ eyes rolled back in her head and she arched her back. But, like Ana, the reaction he loved best was when she screamed out his name. No, no, that was second best. First was when she looked into his eyes and told him that she loved him. He had waited more than three years to hear those words again….so long…so very long. It still brought him almost to tears. His dream come true.

Tonight, worn out, they held each other and talked about everything and nothing…just to be able to stay awake and be with each other. They didn't remember falling asleep.

CHAPTER 27

In the morning, Christian and Ana began what became a routine for them. Christian would waken first and lie looking at his wife for some time before he got up to get Trev ready for preschool. He wanted to keep to Trev's routine for now. Ana needed more sleep than Christian did and getting Trev up and running could be exhausting. Trev fought getting up. He was like his mother in that way. After getting Trev washed up and dressed, they'd go down to the kitchen for breakfast.

This day was going to be very different from all the others in young Trev's life. Today his daddy wouldn't be going up a flight to his office. He wouldn't be coming down at noon to have lunch, either.

"Aunt Gail, I have peanut butter and jelly for lunch, okay?" Gail had to chuckle. Trev asked the question as if he didn't have PB & J every single day.

"Well, that depends. Do you want to eat lunch at school or do you want to come home with Daddy and have lunch with Mommy?" she smiled gently.

Trev's mouth dropped open. He very comically clapped his hands on his cheeks and popped his eyes wide open. How could he forget?

"Mommy home now! I forget! Yay!" He bounced around so much in his booster seat that Christian had to grab hold to keep his son from falling.

"From now on, Trev, I'll take you to school and bring you home for lunch with Mommy. Pretty great, huh?" grinned Christian.

"Pretty great, Daddy! Wait, where Mommy now? She need breakfast, too," asserted Trev.

"Mommy is still healing, Trev, so we're going to let her sleep in and we'll keep having our breakfast together until she's ready to get up early. You and I, we're a couple of early risers, aren't we? Now, are you ready to head out?"

Grey could hardly wait to get Trev to school and get home to Ana. A whole blissful morning in bed with his wife. He was also pleased that Trev still needed afternoon naps.

Ana would probably need those, too. Everything was going to change now. Grey didn't know quite what to expect now that he suddenly had a whole family. He'd had a wife. Then he'd had just a child. Now he had both. He smiled broadly as he, Trev and Jason drove to GEH. He considered going upstairs to the 30th floor to check in with Ros but then realized that he'd probably wind up staying until noon.

No. He wanted to get home to Ana as quickly as possible. He wanted to kick off his shoes, crawl into bed and hold her in his arms. He hoped that he wasn't being unrealistic in his expectations. He could see how Ana struggled sometimes but she was catching on quickly. Maybe they'd finally catch a break and from here on out life would go more smoothly. Yeah. Maybe.

Ana awakened and found her husband leaning on his elbow, watching her. He did that a lot since she'd come to at The Ana and so she was used to it. She smiled sleepily at him and burrowed a bit closer into his chest. He kissed her head and sighed before lying back with Ana in his arms.

"Where is Trev?" she asked.

"School, sweetheart. We can pick him up together at lunchtime, if you like. Remember, he has all the kids excited to meet Sleeping Beauty and Prince Charming."

"Prince Charming, maybe…but Sleeping Wraith is more like it." Ana had learned that word while reading a scary story to Trev. At least it scared Ana.

"I've seen myself in the mirror, Christian. I'm so skinny and pale. I'm not leaving the house until I look like I did in those pictures you showed me."

"Oh, honey. Yes, you have to gain weight for your health's sake but not for your appearance. You're still as beautiful to me as you were all those years ago. More so because I've got you back. I still lose my breath when you wake up in my arms. I don't take one minute for granted."

"You look the same now as you did in those old photos. I wish I could remember how I felt back then."

"You loved me madly and worshipped at my feet. My every wish was your command. You couldn't stop staring at me," Christian grinned.

"I'll take your word for it," Ana giggled. "Will you please make love to me now?"

"I don't know. I got up early and tended to our child. I'm pretty tuckered out. Maybe later," Christian feigned disinterest.

"Oh, okay," Ana agreed, jumping out of bed and heading in for a shower. Christian just laid there, struck dumb and dismayed. He jumped out of bed and followed Ana into the en suite. He watched as she stepped into the shower and began soaping up her breasts. Then he finally saw the sly smile on her face as she glanced at him while bending over to lathering up her legs. He practically wore his clothes into the shower, he was in such a hurry to join her.

Later, he fretted that Ana didn't want breakfast but she promised to eat a big lunch. This, too, would get to be routine. Only two meals a day, he told her doctor. Well, as long as they're decent sized meals, she'll be okay, he was told. She'd never been a big eater, Dr. Greene reminded Christian, despite his efforts to encourage her appetite.

Toward noon, she became antsy and urged Christian to hurry up. She wanted to get to her son. Then it was a debate about what she could wear to appear to look like a beauty. For Christian there was no debate but for Ana, well, she wanted to be lovely for her son. She needed him to be proud of her. She was terribly afraid that having told his classmates that his mother was a sleeping beauty, they would see that she was instead faded, wan and thin. What if they mocked her or Trev's opinion of her? He would be so hurt. She decided to stay home.

"You're planning to stay away from Trev's school until he graduates," teased Christian, who immediately regretted his big mouth. Ana burst into tears. It was only a matter of time before Trev saw the truth. His mother wasn't a beauty; she was ugly. His mother wasn't smart; she was a dope. His mother didn't know how to talk to people. She had no social skills.

Christian knelt in front of his distraught wife and apologized but she only conceded that he was right. She wasn't a good mother or wife. She had only three months of memory. She was almost a nothing.

Christian's heart was breaking for her. How could he be so thoughtless? Ana was inconsolable. She ran back to their bedroom and locked the door. Christian sat on the floor outside, trying to talk to her but soon he'd have to go get Trev.

"Ana, I know you don't think that other people see what I do when they look at you…the most beautiful woman in the world. Trev's little friends would see that, too. I'm sorry that I mocked you. It wasn't funny. But, darling, please pull yourself together for Trev's sake. He'll be upset if he comes home to see you crying. I have to go now. I don't want to but I can't keep Trev waiting. Please rest. Ana, I love you."

With that, Christian reluctantly headed for the elevator, trailed by a sober-faced Taylor.

"Don't worry, Christian," Taylor attempted reassurance. "Ana is so new to this world and easily frightened. But she'll be fine. It's just going to take time."

Christian nodded and sighed. He blamed himself. Maybe he'd been foolish to believe that he could love her back to wellness.

It was a couple more weeks before Ana could screw up her courage to face a classroom full of small children. Before she decided to go with Christian to retrieve Trev, she sat her son down for a talk. She felt that she had to prepare him for his classmates derision.

She told him that even though he and his father thought that she was beautiful, his classmates might not think so. Trev wondered how that could be possible. He was looking right at his mother and he could see how pretty she was….to him. Yes, she answered. Sometimes it's hard to understand that other people don't see things the way that you do but if they don't, they might make fun of your opinion. What, she asked Trev, would he do if the other children laughed or said that they didn't think that Ana was a beauty? How would he feel? Could he handle it?

Trev took the question quite seriously. He took his mommy's face in his hands. No, he answered, he wouldn't be able to understand them but he would be okay. He would forgive them for being silly and wrong.

You wouldn't be terribly embarrassed and even feel like crying? Ana asked. Maybe a little…at first, Trev answered, but he knew that they were all wrong and he'd just hug his mommy and make her feel better. Then he asked if she would be all right if his classmates thought that she was ugly. As long as my wonderful son and my loving husband think I'm pretty, I'll be just fine, she smiled as she answered.

"Yours are the opinions that matter, Trev. As long as you think that I'm pretty, I'll try to believe it, too."

With the matter now settled, Ana and Christian set off in the car to collect Trev from his school. Christian held her hand tightly. Ana was still nervous even though she trusted Trev. It was an awful lot to ask of a three-year-old to hold his head high when his peer group was mocking his mother. She thought of waiting in the car but that would be a betrayal of Trev.

As she and Christian got off the elevator and began the walk toward the daycare/preschool complex on the 29th floor, she felt tears welling up. She didn't feel a bit brave. Christian dabbed at her tears and kissed her soundly. Then he opened the door.

Trev had been watching the door for an hour and had told everyone that both his parents were coming today AND they were bringing cupcakes for all the children. The children had a lot of questions to ask and as the bell tinkled, they all swiveled to look at the visitors. Trev ran to his folks and Ana swooped down to pick him up. She beamed at him, her beautiful little boy. After all the months since she'd awakened, she'd come to really understand that he was her son, her greatest treasure.

"Mommy!" Trev screamed as she entered. The other children stared. Ana felt her stomach flip with anxiety. For herself, she of course didn't care if she was judged to be ugly. For her son, however…..

"Welcome to Grey preschool, Mr. and Mrs. Grey. This is an honor," Trev's teacher greeted them graciously. "Class, let's all say hello to Trev's mother and father."

The class continued staring and very quietly said "hello, Mr. and Mrs. Grey."

"Thank you for that polite greeting, everyone," smiled Christian. Of course, most of the girls in class had crushes on Christian and planned to marry him one day. That predisposed them to dislike Ana. Christian was inwardly kicking himself for not warning Ana.

"Trev is coming home with us now _but_ we brought a variety of cupcakes for all of you," Ana beamed at them. She winked at a little girl with a particularly harsh expression on her face. "Am I mistaken that you prefer chocolate?" The little girl nodded her head vigorously as Ana quickly handed her the treat.

"Your teacher can distribute the rest to you, okay?" prompted Ana. Everyone's eyes lit up with excitement….the kind of excitement only little children can feel about desserts…with the possible exception of Elliot.

"Now I know that Trev told you about me being a real life sleeping beauty, didn't he?" she asked. All nodded.

"Well, I don't know about the beauty part but it's true that I've been asleep most of his life. I was in something called a coma. Do any of you have any questions about that? I don't mind," Ana smiled kindly at the children as she sat down on one of the tiny chairs with Christian behind her,

Well, yes, they did have questions. Did it hurt? Could you hear anything? How did you eat? How did you drink? How did they wake you up? Did they make a lot of really loud noises? What did it feel like to not remember everything? Did she know who Oscar the Grouch was? Did her husband really wake her up with a kiss like Prince Charming?

Ana patiently listened and answered every question. She explained that after she fell comatose, her husband had built a special wing of the hospital just for people like her so that they could be taken care of in special ways. She was, she said, very lucky to have Christian and delighted to know that she had a son although it took a while to understand.

By the time that the trio left the school, the kids were clapping and waving goodbye. No one mocked Trev. They thought that his parents were really nice and really interesting.

Christian could see that Ana was completely worn out so he picked up Trev and put his other arm around Ana's shoulder as she leaned against him. It had been a very big day for all of them.

"You charmed all those children, you know," Christian said.

"Might have had something to do with the cupcakes," Ana replied.

"I'm tired, Mommy. Not hungry, too. Nap?" Trev asked.

When they got home, Christian didn't insist that Trev eat lunch first. He knew that his son might very well fall asleep face first in his lunch. So, Trev went off to take his nap and his parents went off to take theirs as well. They lie giggling together in bed wondering what they would do when Trev outgrew naps.

"Explain sex and then tell him to go play downstairs in the pool?" suggested Christian.

"You still haven't explained sex to me," chided Ana, "but that's okay. I googled it. I know all about eggs and fallopian tubes and uteruses and sperms swimming as fast as they can to be first to the egg. It was very interesting," Ana smiled.

"Well, I'm glad you read up so I don't have to do it," Christian grinned. "I'll let you explain sex to Trev one day, too."

Ana gently cupped Christian's scrotum and suggested that he get busy before Trev awakened and began banging on their door. Christian wrapped his arms around her and kissed her fiercely. He would never waste a minute of his time with her, never again take a minute for granted.

CHAPTER 28

As the days went by, Christian fielded calls from all his relations…asking for meetings with Ana. He tried to placate them…tried to get them to understand how fragile she was still. When the little family took walks in the park across the street, he saw how Ana looked about at all the people looking at them. She'd clutch his hand and breathe hard. She wanted to be brave but her body betrayed her and soon Christian would reach into his pocket for an inhaler.

He explained several times that the public knew him well. He was famous for being ridiculously rich but because he was usually behind the tinted windows of his Mercedes, candid public shots of him were rare. All those people with cell phone cameras were simply curious. He didn't mention that his extraordinary good looks were also part of the attraction. He wasn't vain but he wasn't ignorant either. Even with his wife close by his side, women would flirt with him. Ana had stopped asking him for names…beginning to understand that they were simply bold strangers and that Christian didn't like the attention.

Thus, Ana tried to ignore the people but sometimes, when she was at the grocery store with Gail, she'd catch sight of an issue of The Seattle Nooz and see a picture of herself with Christian. Thanks to a successful lawsuit that Grey had waged against the media when Trev was just a baby, all pictures printed of Trev were pixelated. Ana's insecurity about her appearance made her wish that all images of her were also obscured.

It wasn't that the Nooz and other tabloids ever actually said negative things about her. On the contrary, she was often referred to as "stunning" and "beautiful"…but she didn't believe it. Furthermore, she was ashamed to acknowledge to herself that she cared about being pretty. She didn't tell this to Christian anymore because he thought that she was a dream come true and he didn't like her feeling bad about herself.

One day while using his laptop to google, Ana had googled Christian Grey. There were pages upon pages about him…much of it repetitious. He was good at concealing his private life. Still there were many pictures of him…usually images taken at his parents yearly gala. It was there that Ana discovered pictures of herself when she was younger and healthier and prettier. She saw how he looked at her and realized that it was the way he still looked at her. But there were new pictures of her now. She no longer had a creamy complexion. She was just pale and wan. She no longer had glossy hair. It was dull. She wasn't slender. She was thin. She wondered why she couldn't just be happy that her husband didn't notice other women at all…that he thought that the sun and the moon rose and set with her.

Maybe he was just so thrilled to have her back that he overlooked her shortcomings. Maybe as time went on, he'd grow used to her presence and instead begin to notice other, beautiful women. Would he ever cheat on her? She wouldn't blame him if he did. She'd understand. Kate had told her that men were visual creatures and, therefore, unfair as it seemed, women had to keep up their looks to keep their men. The minute the words were out of her mouth, Kate regretted them. She saw the tears brimming in Ana's eyes.

"What I should have said is that ordinary men too much value attractiveness in women. Christian is not an ordinary man. Before you, we all wondered if he was gay or asexual. He never paid the slightest attention to women. He was never photographed with any. He hated those galas that his parents threw for charity because women would throw themselves at him in the most obvious ways possible. A ballroom filled with gorgeous models, actresses, socialites…not a one ever turned his head. They bored him. You, my BFF, intrigue him, dazzle him, warm his heart and he will never love anyone else."

Ana smiled as though she believed Kate but she was too damaged. She didn't remember her mother. She hadn't even thought to ask about her parents…but deep in her subconscious, she was an ugly 14-year-old who mattered so little that she was raped and beaten.

Still, she kept trying to be everything for Christian…even though she didn't know what that meant. She struggled every day to learn, to understand this strange world that she'd been gone from for so long. Will I ever wake up one morning without anxiety eating at me? she wondered. Christian had repeatedly told her that it would take time. She'd not only been gone a long time…she'd come back to a world she didn't know. Be good to yourself, he'd say to her. Take the time. But she was impatient to be like everyone else, to simply _know._ Everyone else had had whole lifetimes to learn to be who they were. How would she ever catch up?

One day Christian told her something that both terrified her and consoled her. He had to go away, he said. A major deal that he and Ros Bailey had worked on for months….a deal with the Chinese that would launch GEH globally….had begun falling apart. He'd thought that it was all settled before he resigned but when the Chinese learned that they'd no longer be dealing directly with Grey but with his female VP, they became nervous. They were trying to back out of the deal and breaking their word was not a problem for these communist businessmen.

"What do they want, Ros? Did you explain to them that my wife is recovering from a major illness and needs me with her?" Christian was exasperated.

"Of course, I did, Christian. I asked them to understand that she'd just come out of a coma. Geez, this was months ago and why they suddenly got so skittish, I just don't know. I tried to ascertain from our correspondence if perhaps they were just looking for an excuse to get out of the deal but no luck. We need this contract, Christian. For one thing, if word gets out in international circles that we lost this deal, it will be very difficult for GEH to regain ground globally. And globally is the only way we can grow GEH. We've got the United States and Canada is showing interest but that isn't enough. I'm afraid to tell you that we have to do more."

"Do the tons of paperwork we've already signed off on mean nothing to these shysters? Where is their integrity?" Christian growled.

"In the same place where the Russians keep theirs. These communist businessmen are a whole new breed, my friend." Ros knew that there was only one thing to do and she sincerely doubted her ability to convince Christian.

"We, you, have to go to China for a meeting mano a mano. You have to use your intimidating presence to bring them to heel. And we have to do it soon."

Grey groaned. This would not be an overnight trip. He could be gone a week. Strangely enough, it wasn't Ana's inability to get along without him but his inability to get along without her for so long that truly bothered him. He could take her along, couldn't he? No, he couldn't take the chance of her being so far from her doctors. Besides, he'd be in meetings all day and formal teas till late. No, Ana would have to stay home.

He called Welsh for an update. It was a promising call. Jack Hyde had been keeping to his twice a month schedule for meetings with Adolf. The bug planted under their meeting table revealed only that Hyde had to patiently listen to 45 minutes of Adolf ranting about solitary and 15 minutes of Hyde promising to continue trying to get him into the general population. Not a word about Ana or Grey. Thank god. Christian could never have left Ana if there was a whiff of danger in the air.

"Ana! Where are you?" Grey called. In 10,000 square feet of penthouse, he sometimes had to hunt her down. She was still so fragile that she could just stop in her tracks and go to sleep without warning. Today, however, she called back to him to come to the library.

"Hi, sweetheart," he beamed, as he found her deep into a book with her online dictionary beside her. She needed it less and less as her vocabulary grew. He was immensely proud of her and her hard work.

"Got a minute to talk?" Ana didn't like the sound of this and her frown showed it.

"Is something wrong?" she asked. Christian sat down next to her and put his arm around her shoulder.

"Kind of. You might not remember this because it was so soon after you got home. Ros and I had a deal going with the Chinese…a vastly important deal for GEH. Well, that deal is going south and I have to handle the problem personally."

"Going south?" Ana didn't know the idiom.

"Going bad." Christian explained.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I don't remember it. I thought that you retired. Why do _you_ have to fix it? Isn't that Ros's job now?" Ana was looking displeased.

"Yeah, Ros is CEO now but dealing with the Chinese is a whole new kind of business. They found out that I retired and that now they have to deal with a woman. They're discombobulated."

Ana giggled and repeated the word "discombobulated". Christian smiled and kissed her soft lips. Oh, god, how was he going to manage a week without those lips…not to mention other body parts that he adored.

"I don't want you to go, Christian," Ana asserted petulantly.

"I don't want to go, Ana," replied Christian with sadness in his eyes. "I don't want to be separated from you but I really have no choice."

"How long?" Ana looked him right in the eye.

"A week."

"A week! Christian, a week is a very long time. I haven't been away from you for more than a night for years. No, no, no!" Ana was up on her feet and pacing. Christian automatically reached for her inhaler and handed it to her. She began pumping away furiously. Then, slowly, she began to calm down.

She looked down at him so so sadly. It broke his heart to see her so miserable. He pulled her down to his lap and held her head against his chest.

"I'll work hard and I'll try hard to get home earlier. Gail will be here and the new guy, Baxter, will be in the security office all day. He'll take you to pick up Trev at lunchtime. Reynolds will be in the office at night. They'll all be looking out for you."

"I don't want them to look out for me. I want you to look out for me. I'm sorry to be such a baby," Ana sniffled.

"You're _my_ baby," Christian said as he tightened his grip on Ana. "And I will call every day and we can skype and I will be home before you know it."

"China is a very long way away, isn't it?" Ana guessed.

"Yes, 12 hours but my jet has a bedroom so I'll sleep most of the way. China is 16 hours ahead of Seattle time so I'll have to get up early to talk to you in your afternoon. That's okay. I probably won't sleep much anyway without you. This will be really hard for me, Ana, so please try to be brave for me."

"Yes, Christian, I will be very brave and I won't complain. Could you talk really fast to the Chinese?" Christian chuckled. "I'll certainly try."

Trev didn't take the news well either and Gail looked quite solemn, realizing that _her_ husband would be gone a week as well. She'd loved these months since Grey retired. But it was settled.

The following evening, Christian, Taylor and Ryan waved goodbye as the elevator doors closed. It had been decided that an airport sendoff would only make things harder. Gail immediately tried to lighten everyone's spirits by enlisting Trev and Ana in a bakeoff. It would be a mess but it was going to be a rough night anyway. Ana was scared but it also occurred to her that for a whole week, she could truly be her useless self. She wouldn't have to try to impress Christian. She tried to use that knowledge to console herself, to make the fear of being without Christian more palatable.

CHAPTER 29

Three days. She'd made thru three days without Christian. It had been hard…just as she expected it would be. He was her anchor. Her north star. Without him she felt rudderless. She'd been awake and out in the world for months now and was sadly beginning to realize that she must accept that only time and taking scary chances would help her to feel real again…to feel that she was part of this world.

Every day around noon, just before Baxter brought Trev home, Ana would call Christian on Skype. Trev had actually taught her how to use Skype. She was proud of her son but shamed that he could teach her things and she could only love him.

Christian looked so tired and not because it was 4 a.m. in China.

"Have you been sleeping at all?" Ana fretted. Her heart broke for him and she felt ashamed that all this time she'd been worried about herself.

"A few hours a night but I'm awakened by nightmares….the ones I never have when I sleep with you," Christian gazed at Ana with such longing. "And you?"

"Not much but I don't have to pay attention during meetings and try to make sense of a deal."

"Ros has been doing much of that….which is as it should be. These people have to realize that _she_ is the CEO now. I think that we're getting there but, lord, they're stubborn. It all comes down to how badly they want our money. We'll find somewhere else to put it…if need be. Ros is nervous but I've never been. The only thing I've ever feared losing is you. Business is just business and can always be profitable if one works hard enough. I could lose it all tomorrow but as long as I could borrow plane fare back to you and Trev, I could start over. Rebuild.

"Tell me now. How have _you_ really been?" Christian asked.

"Missing you like my own heart is gone. Thank god for Trev."

"I understand. Every day as you slept, I thanked god for Trev. Isn't he due home soon?" Christian asked. Just as the words left his lips, he heard his son scream in the background. "Mommy! I home! Where you?" Christian laughed as he saw Ana beam as Trev jumped on her.

All three Greys talked and laughed for another 30 minutes until Christian noted the time. He had to get in a workout, get cleaned up and dressed for another frustrating day of being intimidating, he hoped, to a bunch of ornery Chinese communists. It was only Ros's insistence on sealing the deal that kept him going. He blew kisses to his wife and son and rang off.

As always, after saying goodbye to Christian, Ana let the tears fall. Trev cuddled up to his mother and tried to soothe her. She would always come around and then they would eat lunch and take a nap together. Later, they would play or go swimming before having dinner. More playtime, bath time, story time and the day would end for Trev with being tucked in by his mother.

For Ana, it was the worst time of the day. She forced herself to go to the library and read. Sometimes, if sleep just would not come, she would sit down at the piano and play with the keys. Christian was teaching her to read sheets of music and she could even play simple tunes.

In the morning, however, she would have unexpected guests and a new learning experience.

Morning

"Anastasia, dear, it is so wonderful to see you."

Ana and Baxter had just returned from the school run with Trev. Baxter had dropped her off out in front of Escala so that he could run an errand for her. As she stood at the elevator, three people approached her…a tall older man with a gentle face…a younger man with a ruddy complexion and a middle-aged woman wearing a sweet smile and too much makeup. Ana didn't know them, of course, but they seemed harmless to her. She smiled in return. She figured that they probably lived in the building so she greeted them.

"Hello, I'm Ana Grey. I live in the penthouse with my family."

"Yes, we know you, Ana, though we understand that you don't remember us. We are your mother and father and this is your dear friend from high school, Ian Hyde. We hope that this is a good time. We waited as long as we could. Do you have time for a visit?"

Ana gaped at them. Why had she never give a thought to her parents? Christian had never mentioned them, either. She was ill-at-ease but Baxter would be back soon and Reynolds was in the security office. It couldn't hurt to talk with these people for a while. She invited them into the elevator and punched in the code for the 20th floor, careful to block it from their sight.

As they rode up, her mother never stopped talking. It was all about how much they'd missed Ana. When the doors opened, Reynolds was waiting in the foyer. He nodded toward the visitors and then requested a private word with Ana in the security office, a small change in protocol, he said. As they walked into the main room, Ana invited her visitors to have a seat until she returned.

"Change in protocol, Reynolds? What was that all about?" Ana queried.

"I observed you entering the elevator cab with those people, ma'am. I presume that you don't know them?"

"No. The woman says that she and the older man are my parents and the younger guy is a friend from high school, Ian Hyde. Why, Reynolds? Do you know them?"

"Only by reputation, Mrs. Grey. And it isn't a good one, from what I gather. Gail could tell you more but she's taken the day off to visit her sister. I'd feel better if you'd let me evict them."

"No. That won't be necessary, Reynolds. You'll be watching. I'll be all right. I want to get to know these people, okay? Don't worry. They'll be gone before Trev gets home for lunch." With that, Ana turned to go. Reynolds turned his trained eyes to the monitors, ready for anything.

As Ana walked back into the great room, she bore a sweet smile. She offered refreshments. Her father wanted a beer. Her mother wanted a good Chablis, nothing cheap. Her old friend, Ian, wanted just a glass of ice water. As Ana retrieved the beer, the wine and the water, she listened to them talk. They didn't seem to think that she could hear them.

Her father warily scolded her mother for asking for a "good" wine. Her mother snarled right back that this was the home of a billionaire so he would have expensive wine. She just wanted to make sure that Ana didn't try to palm off anything cheap. Ian remarked that Ana wouldn't do that and Ana's mother laughed at him for being naïve.

Ana strolled back with the beverages and set them down on the table in front of the sofa.

"Now, you realize that I've lost my memory so you'll have to fill in the blanks for me." She turned first to Ian.

"We were friends in high school? Were we close, shared classes?" Ian looked quite nervous. He was sweating. "You don't remember anything about us, Ana?" he asked. No, she answered, all gone.

"Well, you were a year or two younger than me but we met at school events. We dated for a while in my senior year but then I went to Harvard. I've always wanted to reconnect but until your mother called me yesterday, I didn't know how. I don't read the tabloids and I didn't realize that Ana Grey was my Ana Steele. It's great to see you again."

"Why didn't you call us, dear?" There was a coldness to her mother's tone that put Ana on her guard.

"Well, as I've mentioned, I woke up from my coma with no memory of anything. I've only recently come to understand that my son and my husband are, well, my son and my husband. The world is all new to me."

"Really. I find it hard to comprehend that you didn't know that you had parents. We raised you, cared for you, educated you, gave you everything you needed to have a good life. And you certainly do have a good life," she sneered, waving her hands around, indicating the penthouse.

"I suppose I do but at the moment it is a very difficult one. I've had to relearn everything…including walking and talking. Forgive me if I don't remember you."

"Well, darling, I've always forgiven you in the past for far too much. You were always a difficult child and my health being fragile, it was disheartening to be hurt so much." Ana's mother pulled a handkerchief from her bag and dabbed at her eyes.

"What did I do to hurt you?" Ana asked. Her mother smirked at her and reached over to pat her knee. "Darling, that's all in the past now. Besides, you have a lot of resources at your disposal now. You could do anything for me, ie. I mean, for us. And I would love to be closer to you now that I'm getting older. Your father would never leave Montesano, of course, but if I had an apartment in this building, that would be ideal. We could spend time together and I could get to know my grandson."

Ana didn't know why but she felt a chill go up her spine.

"I'll talk to Christian when he gets home and we'll see. Is there anything that you need…hmmm...Dad? It seemed so strange to think of these strangers as her parents. Her father looked sadly at her and shook his head. He'd long ago given up on protecting Annie. He'd never been any good at it. His wife was fearsome and vicious. He knew that she beat Annie. When she started in on her, he'd just go out back to his woodworking shop and turn on the machines to drown out Carla's cursing and Annie's cries. He deserved nothing from his daughter now.

Ian had been looking at Ana in a way that she didn't understand. She couldn't tell if he liked her or loathed her. She smiled at him and asked him a few innocuous questions about his life since he left Harvard. He told her that he was an attorney with his own firm….that he had a beautiful wife and a son and that they all lived in a huge Georgian style mansion outside of Portland. He said that when Carla called him, he was quite surprised but decided to take her up on her offer to stop in Seattle for this visit.

At this point, Carla withdrew a cigarette from her bag and looked at Ana first expectantly and then with exasperation. "Ana, a polite hostess would light my cigarette and provide me with an ashtray. Goodness, how is your rich husband able to take you out into polite society when you don't understand the simplest rules of courtesy?"

Ana tried to explain that they hadn't actually been anywhere as yet because she had to heal still but her mother just laughed and said that Christian would probably be using that excuse to avoid her embarrassing him for the rest of their lives.

"He's a real prize, that man. I am still amazed that you somehow got him to marry you."

Ian looked at Carla with anger. "Carla, that's enough. Ana would be a prize for any man to marry."

He was going to go on about Ana's virtues but a look from Carla shut him up.

Ana was rummaging around in the kitchen, looking for matches and breathing hard when Reynolds came up behind her and handed her an inhaler. Then he shook his head gently and set Ana down on a stool. Sans matches, he left the kitchen and stood before the guests.

"Mrs. Steele, is it? Yes, I found a file on you. Mr. Steele and Mr. Hyde, I'm afraid that all of you will have to leave now. Mrs. Grey isn't feeling well and needs to sleep soon. I'll show you to the elevator."

Carla cackled. It was the first time that Reynolds had heard a sound like that coming from a woman. It was creepy. He wondered how it was possible that his sweet, soft-hearted employer came from that thing. He watched as Carla withdrew a lighter from her bag and lit her cigarette. She blew a puff of smoke out into the room. How had Ana survived her childhood? He didn't know that Carla was seldom home to blow smoke in her sick daughter's face.

Angrily, Reynolds snatched the cigarette from Carla's mother and stubbed it out in a nearby plant. Then he grabbed her arm and pulled her to her feet, leading her toward the elevator with the two men following.

"Wait, Ana, darling? Don't forget to have your husband sign a lease for that apartment. I must be near my beloved daughter and my grandchild. You'll remember to tell him that, won't you," Carla yelled as Reynolds pushed the button for the main floor. He was pretty sure that he'd done the right thing for Ana. He certainly hoped he had or his boss would axe him. He turned back to go to the kitchen. He found Ana leaning back against the fridge sucking on her inhaler.

"Ma'am, how are you feeling?

"Better. Thank you, Reyn. Could that really have been my mother?" rasped Ana.

"Yes, ma'am. I recognized her from the file. What a creature, if you'll forgive my saying so. I'm afraid that if I let them stay a minute longer, Mr. Grey would have me fired. I hope you didn't mind my asking them to leave?" Reynolds looked nervous.

"You did the right thing, Reyn. The two men were all right. I would have liked to speak a while with my father. He did seem quite the sorry mouse, didn't he? What must it be like to live with _her_? She kind of caught me off-guard or I think I would have told her off myself. You know, Reyn, that high school friend of mine actually seemed familiar. I think perhaps that I owe him an apology. Could you get his address for me?"

"Ma'am, I think that you should speak with your husband first. The files I spoke of are classified."

"Oh. All right. Thank you again for the inhaler. I feel much better but tired. Excuse me while I lie down for a while." Ana smiled with gratitude and headed for her bedroom. Reynolds had a feeling that Grey would not want his wife speaking with Ian Hyde. He didn't know the details but he did know that Grey and Taylor had flown to Portland to speak with Jack Hyde and had returned with somber expressions. He knew what hehad to do next.

"Reynolds? Why did you call me out of that meeting? I'm supposed to be standing by looking like a henchman or something. These people seem to only appreciate threats. God, I hate this assignment…and Grey is showing cracks the longer we're gone from home."

"I do apologize, sir," Reynolds said in a respectful tone, "and I didn't really know if I _should_ call. I really don't know the protocol here. Something happened but I figured that if Mr. Grey should know about it….well, you'd tell him. There's nothing he can do from over 5,000 miles away and he might just get so upset that he'd blow the whole deal. So, I decided to tell you instead."

"Oh, good. _I_ get to decide when he knows something dreadful. Well, hit me with it."

"Mrs. Grey returned from the school run with three visitors. Baxter was running errands and they accosted her in the lobby so she just invited them up."

"Oh, lord. Was she okay?"

"At first. 'Course I didn't know who these people were either so I took Mrs. Grey aside and she informed me that they purported to be her parents and a school friend, Ian Hyde. That name I knew. I asked her to let me evict them but she said that she wanted to get to know her parents."

"Jesus Christ, tell me you kept an eye on them?"

"Oh, yes, sir." Reynolds was beginning to think that he'd really screwed up.

"I greeted them at the door to be sure that they were aware that Ana was not alone. Then I listened and watched. I read the file on Mrs. Steele. What a piece of work that dame is. The father is pretty quiet and seems harmless and the Hyde spawn was actually very nice to Ana. He even chastised Mrs. Steele but it seems there is no end to her viciousness. Geez, some of the awful things she said to Mrs. Grey. Then she whipped out a cigarette and ordered Mrs. Grey to get matches and light it for her. And she had a lighter in her purse the whole time! It was all just a game to hurt Mrs. Grey."

"Tell me you intervened, Reynolds," Taylor growled.

"Of course, sir," agreed Reynolds. "I obeyed Mrs. Grey only up to the point that she was threatened. While she was in the kitchen looking for matches, I went in and handed her an inhaler and helped her sit on a stool. She was breathing hard and shaking. At that point I was having a difficult time being professional.

"I snatched the cigarette from Mrs. Steele and informed the three that Mrs. Grey wasn't feeling well and they would have to leave. She _laughed_, Taylor! I grabbed her arm and put her into the elevator along with the two men. And…get this…even as she's being kicked out, she's yelling back to Mrs. Grey that she should be sure to have Mr. Grey sign a lease for an apartment for her in Escala so that this monster could have more time with her "beloved daughter and grandson!""

"Okay, Reynolds, sounds like you did all the right things," Taylor sighed wearily. "How was Mrs. Grey when you left her?"

"Breathing okay but falling asleep as usual. She went to bed. Are you going to tell Grey?"

"Hell, no. With 5,000 miles between him and Ana, he'd go crazy and blow up Beijing. No, if Ana wants to tell him when they next Skype, that's her decision. However, she is a smart woman and I think she'll want to wait until he gets home. He won't like it when he finds out but part of my job is to protect him from himself sometimes. Just keep a close eye on Mrs. Grey and Trev. Also, change the code to the penthouse and lock it down for extra measure. Get Johnson and Kelly to escort Mrs. Grey and Trev to school tomorrow along with Baxter. Keep an eye on their position as well.

"Keep me informed of the smallest necessary detail. Thanks, Reynolds. You did a good job."

"Thank you, sir," Reynolds replied solemnly. He felt relieved and proud. After all, Taylor was a man he admired.

Then he went back to the Greys' bedroom to check on Mrs. Grey. She was sleeping and breathing evenly. In a few hours, she'd be awake and ready to get Trev from school. Reynolds wondered how she'd be feeling.

**Later**

Ana's eyes flickered open. For a moment, she felt disoriented. Then she felt the familiar fear of what was beyond the bedroom door….the world. She lay on her side looking at the Seattle skyline. Then, for an inexplicable moment, she laughed. Now, what was that all about, she thought. In the next moment, it all came rushing back to her.

She remembered her mother's parting words….to remind Christian to sign that lease. As if, Ana thought. What an awful woman is my mother. She felt a lump in her throat but she stifled the threatening tears. No wonder I never thought about my parents. They must not have been any part of my life in some time. My father didn't seem so bad but it was obvious that he was cowed by my mother. And there was something off about that fellow Ian.

Ana found Reynolds hastily making a sandwich in the kitchen.

"What's the big hurry, Reynolds? You trying to pack a lunch before my mother gets back?" teased Ana.

"Got to get back to the monitors."

"Oh. Go on. I'll make you a lunch. Where's Baxter?"

"He's taking a nap before going to pick up Trev. I don't suppose that I could get you to stay here with me?" Reynolds asked hopefully.

"No. I don't think they're dangerous, Reyn. Just stupid as all hell," laughed Ana.

"Wow. This is not the Mrs. Grey I expected to emerge from that bedroom. How come you're taking this so well?"

"Go back to the monitors. I'll have your lunch ready in a minute," she ordered.

After she'd delivered the lunch, she told Reynolds that she wasn't sure why she had awakened in such a good mood.

"I sure shouldn't be. That woman is wretched and took me by surprise. I was well on my way to an asthma attack before I could stop it. But my nap must have cleared my head. Oh. Reyn, tell me that you didn't call Christian!"

"No. I called Taylor. He had no intention of telling your husband until he gets home. He did order extra security for your trips to and from the school. He was hoping that you and Trev might choose to stay home for a few days," Reynolds looked up at Mrs. Grey for a reaction.

"No. I don't want to have to explain to my very bright son that his grandparents might be a danger to him so we're going to hide out here until he's 21."

Reynolds choked on his sandwich trying not to laugh.

"Mrs. Grey, you are a surprise.

"I'm surprising myself, Reyn," smiled Ana, "and, please, call me Ana… when Christian isn't around, of course."

"No, ma'am. I'd slip up and then soil my underwear from the look I'd get from Mr. Grey."

Ana laughed again. Then she asked for the files on her mother. When he once again protested that the files were classified, Ana firmly reminded him that she was his employer and _that _woman was _her_ mother. Ironic that she cowed Reynolds just as her mother cowed her father. Reynolds dutifully handed over the file.

"Wow. Carla Steele was _not_ a mother, was she? According to this, she delivered me and then left my grandmother to raise me while my father spent all his time out in his workshop. My grandmother died when I was five, right after I'd started kindergarten. It appears that from that point on I simply raised myself. Is that even possible?" Ana marveled.

"Sure. Ain't easy but while I was with the NYPD, I saw things like it all the time. We'd get a call to check out a dicey situation and find one tiny kid in charge of an even tinier kid while momma was out drinking and drugging. One time we found several children calling their 7 year-old brother, Daddy. He'd been raising them for over a year. Feeding them out of dumpsters. Stealing clothes from Goodwill boxes. They were living in an abandoned factory. Broke our hearts. They cried and cried for their Daddy."

"Oh, Reyn. That's awful. Social services couldn't keep them together?"

"No. Too many. That's one of the reasons I've gone into private security. Fewer sad stories. Oh, and stay away from the windows," he cautioned.

"Oh, sure. The walls are glass. No problem," Ana chuckled. "It's almost time to get Trev. I'm going to wash up. Rouse Baxter."

"Yes, ma'am. Oh, ma'am? Are you going to tell your husband?"

"Only if I want him to shut down his meetings, lose the deal, get on his jet, fly home at the speed of sound and tear out all of his hair on the way. I'll tell him when he gets home. Have you informed Taylor?" she asked.

"Yes, he isn't going to say anything either."

"Okay then. I'll be back in ten," said Ana as she left the room.

Fine sandwich, Reynolds thought. Good lettuce to mayo ratio.

CHAPTER 31

As usual when his mother arrived, Trev broke the sound barrier screaming her name.

"Mommy!" This was Trev's last year of half-day school. Next year he'd be gone 'til 3 pm. And leaving along with all the other children. Ana wondered what a whole class of children screaming for their parents must sound like and why the glass walls hadn't cracked.

He was covered in something. Ah, finger painting. Ana looked around for his work of art…to no avail.

"Trev was critical of his work and decided to destroy it," his teacher revealed. "All the greats did likewise, you know," she chuckled.

"Are you sure his clothing isn't the artwork?" smiled Ana. She looked down at her son and wondered how they were going to get him in the car and not ruin the upholstery….not to mention her own clothing or Baxter's.

Baxter leaned over to whisper in Ana's ear. "It's all washable, ma'am. Otherwise, I'd have to buy a new wardrobe every week."

"Oh, well thank you, Baxter." Then she picked up Trev and smooched him as he giggled. Before they reached the elevator, Baxter took Trev from his mother's arms. Even 30 lbs. was too much for Ana.

Trev kept up a steady stream of conversation as they rode home and into the garage. As Ana and the three guards left their cars, Ana asked if anyone had noticed anything unusual. No, she was told. All seemed well. As the words left Kelly's mouth, he blocked Ana and Trev and motioned to Johnson. Ana followed their eyes as they alit on Christian's baby, his R8. Parked protectively in a back corner, she could see the back window smashed and the rear tires slashed. She deflected Trev's attention and hurried into the elevator.

"Say, handsome. How's about a bath to get this paint off and then we can go down to the pool?"

"Yay. That real good idea, Mommy."

Baxter handed Trev off to Ana and ordered her to stay in the elevator. He sent them back to the 19th floor and ordered her to lock the elevator. That was when Ana noticed the envelope lying on the floor of the cab. She snatched it from Trev's hand, startling him and bringing on tears. Hungry, tired and Mommy being mean. Bad combination for a three-year-old. Ana kissed his cheeks and pressed him against her leg. Then she opened the letter addressed to "The 20th Floor". She didn't recognize most of the words. She was diverted by a text.

_All clear, Mrs. Grey._

**Thank you, Baxter. Please meet me at door.**

As the doors opened, Ana picked up Trev and behind his back, she handed the letter to Baxter. Then she took Trev up to his room for a bath. She needed one now, too. She wondered how many more years it would be decent for her to bathe with her son. He wasn't at all curious about her body yet. Knock wood. Then they got into their swim gear and robes and headed down for lunch. Trev had perked up in the bath, splashing his mother and the whole bathroom. Ana made a mental note to apologize to Bess.

She heated up a small mac and cheese casserole for Trev and secured him to his booster seat, promising to return in a couple of minutes. Trev ignored her in favor of his lunch.

Baxter, Johnson and Kelly were all gathered with Reynolds in the security room, perusing the letter found by Ana.

"We understand that you're still working on your reading and vocabulary, Mrs. Grey, which is why you couldn't read this," said Baxter.

"Well, it doesn't seem difficult…mostly words with 4 to 6 letters."

"Yes, ma'am, and all of them obscene. Whoever left this timed it to be seen by you. They must have slipped it under the elevator doors. We suspect it was the same person or persons who vandalized Mr. Grey's car. This is pretty vile stuff, Mrs. Grey. It's probably intended to offend and frighten you."

"Well, I'm not frightened. I'm angry. Christian is due back in a couple of days. Can you get his car repaired in time or is it totaled?"

"The back looked bad but whoever it was did a number on the sides and the front as well. I'd say that it's totaled. What would you like us to do?"

Ana wasn't used to being in charge but it was clear that these men wanted her to be.

"Get me the number of the nearest R8 dealer, Baxter. Meanwhile, make arrangements for the car to be hauled to the GEH garage and throw a cover over it. Hurry, before workers get out. I'm going to finish lunch with Trev. Give me the letter."

Ana put the letter into a drawer in Christian's desk and returned to lunch with Trev who was already demanding more mac and cheese. Ana heated up another bowl, adding broccoli bits and peas. There followed a heated refusal from Trev to eat that green stuff but it was greens and mac and cheese or nothing so he caved in.

"You sneaked that in, Mommy," he accused Ana. "Nope, I did it right in front of you. Wasn't so bad, was it? She grinned. Trev grunted…not wanting to concede but actually it wasn't so bad.

Baxter came out with the number of the dealer, warning Ana that it was unlikely that they could get another car so quickly. Really? Ana huffed. She asked Baxter to take Trev to the pool and said she'd join them soon.

She slipped into Christian's study and dialed the number.

"Watkins Audi/Mercedes Dealership. How can I help you today?" His tone was obsequious. He had to somehow sell very expensive vehicles.

"I'd like to speak with the manager, please."

"I'm sorry but he's having his lunch. Perhaps I could help you?"

"No, thank you. Is he in the building? If so, tell him that Mrs. Christian Grey would like a word…now."

"Oh. I'll get him right away." As the salesman returned, Ana could hear the voice of an older man grumbling about his lunch and all these rich people and their demands.

"Good afternoon, Mrs. Grey. What a pleasure to hear from you. What can I help you with?"

"My husband's R8 has been totaled. Never mind how. He'll be terribly upset when he returns from his trip abroad so I'd like the car replaced immediately."

"Oh, Mrs. Grey. I'm afraid that that won't be possible." Silence. Ana waited.

"Mrs. Grey? Are you still there? Did you hear me?" He spoke with authority. It was useless. Ana would not allow herself to be frightened twice in one day.

"Yes. I heard you. I'm afraid, however, that you didn't hear me. My husband will be returning Friday afternoon. I want a spanking new R8 with all the bells and whistles parked in our garage by then. Do you hear _me_?"

"Ahem. You see those cars have to be imported and then cleaned up and ready to go. That won't be possible by Friday."

"I believe that you've been selling Mercedes and Audis to my husband for several years now. Is that not correct? Is it also not correct that you'd like to continue that relationship?"

"Well, of course, we value your husband's patronage."

"Then I suggest that you value mine as well. It is approximately 1 pm. Wednesday. I will expect the car to be ready for pickup by 4 PM Friday afternoon. Otherwise, it will be just as easy for us to order from the L.A. dealership. Thank you."

With that Ana rang off, bouncing her feet off the floor and fist-pumping into the air. Gosh, it felt good to be a bitch.

Christian would be calling soon so she set up the tablet to skype and watched the screen anxiously.

In the next moment, the screen flickered and Christian's face appeared. The second he saw Ana he burst into a big smile.

"Hello, my beautiful wife, I miss you more than words can say."

"Really? Try harder," she teasingly ordered as Christian laughed.

"Two days, Christian? Will you be home two days from now?" she asked yearningly.

"Yes. That's still the plan. Things are going well so I'm hopeful that I'll be home Friday afternoon. If I don't get to hold you soon, I'll start cracking. Anything new happening there?"

"No. Same old, same old. I'm not sleeping well so I've been up early enough to take Trev to school. Oh, I made him eat mac and cheese AND peas and broccoli for lunch."

"How bad was that battle? Did he actually eat anything?"

"Yeah. He wanted a second helping and he wasn't getting it without the greens mixed in so hunger won out. The table seemed empty without you. He and Baxter are down swimming so I texted them to come back up."

Just then Trev burst through the door screaming for his daddy and told him all about his artwork that morning and the mess he made all over Mommy and Baxter. This story caused fits of laughter from Trev, making most of the story unintelligible but that didn't matter. Christian watched his son entranced.

"Have you been good for Mommy?" Christian asked, trying to look stern.

"Yes!" asserted Trev. " I had to be because she so sad. You come home soon so I can be bad again, okay?" Christian looked at his son with such love and pride.

"Okay, two days, Okay? I can't have you straining yourself to be good. And I certainly don't want your mommy to be sad. I'm pretty sad myself, you know?" Christian looked into Ana's eyes.

"Trev, go change out of your swimming clothes. We'll have lunch and then play," Ana said as she kept her eyes on Christian.

"Okay, two days, Daddy. I count now, you know." Christian had to laugh at Trev's warning.

As soon as Trev had left the room, Ana closed the door. She and Christian just looked at each other for several minutes without saying a word. Then a single tear escaped from Ana's blue eyes.

"I miss you so," she said, touching his face on the screen.

"I'll be arriving early Friday. I've made a reservation for us at the Four Seasons. I've got to spend some time alone with you before seeing Trev. Can you get away?" Christian pleaded with his wife.

"How come other people can do this thing called phone sex?" puzzled Ana.

"I don't know how they manage to make do with that. I only know that I can't. I need to have you in my arms, sweetheart. I won't believe that I'm really home until you run your hands through my hair and I can smell your skin. I'll call you when I land and you get there as soon as you can…please?"

Ana nodded and wiped away a tear. Then, softly, "I crave you, too, my love. Try to sleep." She kissed her finger and pressed it to Christian's finger before the connection ended. She lay there for a while holding the screen to her bosom and trying to get herself together. Two days. Just two more days. She had felt so brave when talking to the salesman but now again she felt weak and so in need of her strong husband.

CHAPTER 32

Beijing, China

Despite his best efforts, Christian didn't sleep that night. If all went well the next day, he could be on the jet and on his way home Friday morning.

_If _all went well. It didn't. Right out of the gate on Thursday morning at 9 a.m., Ros and Christian looked at each other in disbelief as the Chinese seemed to reverse course, taking them right back to Monday. Ros got right to the point as she stood before the chairman of the board.

"Gentlemen, you seemed to be content with this week's talks. Yet now you display nerves and uncertainty. Could you explain what has caused this reversal in your feelings?" No wilting flower, Ros stared the men down.

The chairman muttered something and all the others were murmuring among themselves and the translators weren't even trying to catch the words. Ros drew in a deep breath and calmed herself.

"Please. Try to explain, using bullet points, what is troubling you?" She even managed a small, kindly smile of conciliation.

The translator then offered a half dozen points of contention. All had been dealt with in great detail and agreement had been made. Now, suddenly, the board needed more explanation and incentivizing. Ros reached under the table and squeezed Christian's knee…a pleading to hold his tongue.

Ros reiterated that the same conclusions had been agreed upon several months before and now again this week. Almost teasingly she said that, "we laughed and clapped and were all quite gratified to be in agreement. What has changed? Why have you lost faith in our ability to do business together? Mr. Grey and I have not lost faith in you. We trust in your word and your integrity."

Grey felt that Ros was handling the problem with great skill. He was also ready to tell the opposition to go to hell but he was willing to continue talking. The Chinese didn't know that he had a deadline that he would honor come hell or high water.

Thus, the day proceeded. Every detail reexamined. Every misunderstanding explained. With every hour that passed, it became clearer to Grey that the problem was a lack of faith in Ros. This society was misogynistic and racist. Anyone non-Chinese was assumed to be lacking in intelligence and honor. Ros was a tiny, black woman and this was a source of discomfort to these men. Ros was not ignorant of this fact. As the day wore down into late afternoon and a break was called, Ros took Grey aside.

"Okay, Christian, we tried but they are simply not going to accept me. This is at the root of all the problems. Take over. Reassure these a**holes that this deal is in good _male_ hands. I can take it. My ego is fine. I worked too hard on this for almost a year to let it fall through. If you want to get on that plane soon…get up and talk."

Grey nodded. After all the men had resumed their places, Ros announced that Mr. Grey would like to speak with them. Immediately, the men straightened in their chairs and looked interested. Finally, in their thinking, the Americans were going to respect them.

Grey took a sip of water, set his glass down and stood up, buttoning his jacket. Then he placed both hands on the table and glared down at all the board participants. Ros inwardly groaned. Well, she thought, what was a year of her life down the tubes, anyway? She'd recover.

"Gentlemen," Grey began, "you are not gentlemen. This woman is 100x wiser and better informed that the whole lot of you. Furthermore, she is gracious while you are bores. She is kind while you are rude. Not to mention, she is beautiful although that is neither here nor there. She is not speaking FOR me. I handed this deal to her before I took a leave of absence to care for my wife.

"I built this company with a $100,000 loan and within eight years, it's become a multibillion dollar, privately owned enterprise. No brag. Just fact. I am a genius at acquisition. What I am even better at is hiring good people…._great_ people. Most required some training. Ros is the only person I ever hired who hit the ground running.

"Now, GEH wants this deal BUT even more than the deal, I want my CEO treated with respect and admiration. You will profit mightily from this transaction but if you don't decide in the next 15 minutes that you want the deal with no more discussion, no more fussing, my CEO and I will walk out of this room and take our business elsewhere. I am sorely tempted to deny you the 15 minutes. You don't deserve it. Your behavior even before today was quite disturbing. We worked hard on a deal with you all last year. We signed contracts. We made agreements. Where we come from, a person's word is their bond. We don't renege. We don't welch. And if we do, you can be sure that word gets out and that company won't find anyone wanting to deal with them again. However, _we_ gave you the benefit of the doubt because yours is a culture different from our own and Ros urged patience and an attempt to understand.

"Well, you've had our patience and our attempt to understand and I've had to leave my ailing wife alone for a week while you ate at my nerves. I no long care if you want to do business with GEH or not. We are leaving. Speak up now or forget we ever knew each other."

With that and a table full of stunned Chinese men staring at him, Grey looked at his watch.

The chairman coughed and whispered to the translator who nodded at him vigorously.

"Mr. Choo is moved by your, hmmm…"

"Vehemence," Grey snarled.

"Your sincerity, yes, and agrees that all "bullet points" as you called them have been cleared. Please Miss Bailey, have patience as we sign again and forgive the redundancy due to our stubbornness. It will be a pleasure to work with you and we thank you and Mr. Grey for your patience." As the translator finished, the chairman nodded obsequiously toward Ros. Hands were shaken all round. While Ros completed the paperwork, Grey excused himself to go to the men's room.

He was tired beyond measure.

How, he wondered, had he done meetings like this for years as he built his company? The fury, the determination, the time, the intensity….the relentless 24/7 drive to buy the next company, to make the next acquisition, to build toward that first million, then onto the first billion and the second and the third and on and on? He could barely remember that man.

And how could he be a dominant all those years? Years of commanding women, women who slightly resembled his beautiful wife, to kneel before him, to tie them up with ropes and cable ties and handcuffs and to hang them from the ceiling or bend them into shapes he found pleasing to look at until they cried out "Red" because they couldn't breathe.

Now he had no need or interest in being in charge at home. He found the notion of bullying Ana in any way repugnant. He never yelled at Trev. His patience with his son came as easily to him as breathing.

Ana _had_ known and accepted his lifestyle when they were wed but how would she feel if she knew the truth now? She'd never asked him about his "dating" years before her. He supposed that she believed that he was a rich playboy. The truth was that he knew as little as she did about actually making love. That was lucky. They learned together how to please each other and express their feelings. Ana never questioned anything he did. She also didn't know that she'd been raped. Christian wondered if he should tell her about her past. Perhaps it would be best if she never knew. She had never asked.

And that man who built GEH, who was a dominant in every way? He was gone. He'd learned to love. He'd become a single father and devoted husband. He was now a man at the mercy of a 3-year-old boy and a woman whose spirit would make him a better man every day.

Twelve hours. Twelve hours until she was again in his arms…until he could bury his nose in her neck and smell apples and lilac. If he could sleep throughout the flight, it would go faster and he would be well rested and ready to show Ana how much he missed her. He had told her that he craved her. He'd never before used that word to describe his need, his want of her but he'd never before been this long away from her either. Now it fit. His heart ached for her.

Ros found him sitting in the lobby of the building, his mind back in Seattle.

"Let's go. Papers signed. Contracts agreed to. _And_ respect paid. That was a great speech you gave. The board was quite chastened. Christian?" Ros smiled and took his arm, pulling him to his feet and out to the car. She couldn't wait to get home to Gwen, _her_ anchor, _her_ north star.

Fifteen minutes later, as the jet's engines hummed, Christian lay on the bed and slowly closed his eyes. For 12 hours he could dream of Ana until he could hold her again.

CHAPTER 33

"Mrs. Grey, there's a call for you on the line in your husband's study. Do you wish to take it?" asked Baxter.

Ana jumped up from her chair. Did she wish to take it? Lord, yes, she did. He's home early!

"Hi! Are you home now?" Her voice was practically shaking with excitement.

"Yes, I am. How are you?" said a voice she didn't recognize.

"Oh, I assumed…never mind. Who is this, please?" She didn't know why but her skin was crawling.

"It's Ian, of course. I wanted to talk with you a bit. I'm afraid that with your mother in the room, it's hard to have a conversation. No offense intended, of course," he said in a smooth, casual tone.

"Oh, yes, Ian…from high school. I didn't recognize your voice," Ana replied. She was mildly annoyed. "May I ask how you got this number? It's my husband's private office number."

Ian laughed lightly. "Oh, nothing sinister, trust me. My father had it from past dealings, I guess. You sound in good health, Ana. I was concerned after your asthma attack during our visit. I don't know why Carla wanted to smoke with you in the room. 'Course, I remember she did the same thing when we were dating. I'd have to rush you out of the house and you'd have to suck on your inhaler for the entire ride to the movie theater."

"Yes, my mother was not considerate about that issue. I gather that she thinks that I am faking or just hysterical." Ian sounded nice. Ana began to relax.

"And how are you, Ian, and your family. You said that you have a son. Must be very busy at your house. One little boy keeps _me_ hopping."

They continued with the small talk until Ian suggested that they meet for coffee the next time he was in Seattle. Ana didn't want to start a friendship. She wasn't that interested in Ian or anyone from high school. She had a vague feeling that she hadn't been happy then. So, she struggled to detour around the request.

"I'd have to dig deep to find a vacancy in my schedule but if I do, I'll give you a ring at this number.

Let's see…555-564-6669…is that correct? I do apologize for having to cut this short but I'm expecting an important call. Oh, the other line is lighting up. I have to go, Ian. Thank you for calling. Goodbye." Ian began to say something to extend the call but Ana didn't care if she was rude. Furthermore, she intended to have the number changed.

After she rang off, she called Baxter to check on Christian's R8 delivery. Yes, he told her, the new car had arrived and was safely tucked into its spot in the garage. She smiled with satisfaction. Then she decided to be magnanimous. She rang up the dealership and thanked them for their fine service. The salesman went on a bit about the trouble they'd had to get the car so quickly and Ana drew a tolerant breath and said that it was noted and appreciated.

After that call, she went down to the security office and notified Reynolds that the number to Christian's office should be changed immediately.

"May I ask why?" Reynolds inquired.

"Yes, that call I just took was unexpected and I don't know how he got the number. I'm just being cautious. It kind of raised my hackles, if you know what I mean," Ana explained.

"Yes, ma'am. I'm in security. My hackles are raised all the time," he kidded. Ana laughed and left the office feeling a bit better about the call. Married men with children don't call old high school girlfriends to chat and suggest future dates. Well, maybe they did. Ana certainly wasn't up to date on societal rules but she did know that she didn't want or need coffee with a stranger.

She went to her room to dress for her big date. She choose an outfit that she knew Christian liked even though she knew she could show up in a sack and he'd be thrilled. She was beginning to quiver with nervous energy. Call! She thought. She decided to go to the Four Seasons right away. She could pretend that she was at home and when he arrived to wait for her, voila!

She called Baxter, let him know that she was leaving and would try to be back for Trev's arrival.

Baxter was waiting for her at the elevator to drive her to the Four Seasons. He had a serious expression on his face. Well, more than serious, actually.

"Mrs. Grey, may I ask about the phone call you took earlier. Please forgive me if I'm intruding. It's just that no one should have that number and I was concerned."

"Me, too." Ana laughed. "It was that old high school boyfriend who came here with my mother and father for that oh so enjoyable visit, remember? I'm supposing that Reyn told you all about it when you got back from running errands. Ian said that he got the number from his father who had it due to some dealings with Christian long ago. He wanted to know if I was all right _and_ to ask for a coffee date. I told him that _I'd_ call _him_ if I could ever find the time. Of course, I'll never find the time. I don't know what he could possibly want with me and I don't care. I asked Reynolds to change the office number."

"Good. I rather doubt his explanation for having it in the first place. I know that I'm new here but many details have been impressed upon me and safeguarding private numbers is one of those important details.

"Now, let's get the most important detail in Mr. Grey's life to the Four Seasons, shall we?" he smiled at his little joke.

Da Plane, Da Plane

Christian's plan to sleep through the trip did not work out. He spent the 12 hours lying on the bed, staring at the ceiling and imagining Ana naked beneath him. He lost himself in her blue blue eyes. He could smell her fragrance and feel her soft flesh. He had an aching tent in his pants from China to the States.

"Mr. Grey? It's Nancy. The pilot asked me to tell you that we'll be arriving in Seattle in 30 minutes. Are you awake, sir?" Mr. Grey used to be very grouchy about being awakened and his flight attendant hated the wakeup call duty. However, she'd been told that he was a different man these days. Still, she braced herself for a barrage of vulgarity.

"Yes, Nancy. I'm awake. Just daydreaming about my wife. I'll be out and buckled in shortly. Thank you for the notice."

Nancy, startled, walked away shaking her head in disbelief. She hoped that she'd get the chance to meet Mrs. Grey someday. She must be a quite soothing person. Nancy had heard some stories from the previous attendant but when she started with GEH, Mrs. Grey was still in her coma.

Christian jumped up and pondered whether to take a shower on the plane or wait until he got to the hotel. He decided that he wanted to be perfect for Ana so he showered and choose a pair of jeans and a white shirt, sleeve rolled up. It seemed to be a combination that really turned Ana on, he smiled. She said that he looked "unbearably sexy". Ana, on the other hand, looked unbearably sexy all the time…with bedhead, a sweat suit, and growly on first waking up. Anytime, Anyway.

Damn it, this plane could land any time now. He tried to calm down. He sat in his chair, buckled up and drumming his fingers impatiently on the arm rest. Ros watched him and smiled inwardly. She'd known this man for many years now and always admired him. She was his closest employee and she'd missed him since he'd taken his indefinite leave of absence. His devotion to his wife veered near obsession. She'd found that since watching him, she herself had thought more about her own wife. Gwen was an absolute jewel and she couldn't wait to get home. She was relieved when she felt the wheels hit the runway. The pilot, perhaps aware of Mr. Grey's sense of urgency, warned that everyone should stay buckled in until he gave the all clear. Naturally, Grey had already unbuckled and was ready to jump out of his seat. Taylor would know to quickly gather all of Mr. Grey's gear, with Ryan's help, because Grey would be in the back seat of the SUV, bouncing his knee up and down.

THE FOUR SEASONS

On the drive to the hotel, Ana noticed that Baxter's eyes were flashing back and forth between the front window and the rear view mirror. He was on edge after that call from Ian. Ana felt completely safe with Baxter so she didn't worry or wonder. All she had space for in her brain was the word "Christian". As he pulled up to the entry of the hotel, he sternly told her to stay in the car until he opened the door. He wasn't just being courteous. He was being careful. He planned to get a chair and sit outside their hotel room door. Then again, he knew the rooms were not soundproof so maybe he'd sit near the elevator instead.

He got out of the car, handed off the keys to the attendant along with an generous tip.

"This car belongs to Christian Grey. It is important that you do not take your eyes off this car. No one is to go near it. Understood? Good. I'll explain to the manager so that he can assign someone else to valet service."

Then he opened Mrs. Grey's door and taking one last look around, he extended his hand and helped her from the car. He walked closely to Ana and hurried her into the lobby. At the desk, he asked for the room card and ordered that no one was to know that the Greys were in residence. The desk clerk nodded seriously. He also brought out the manager who agreed to add a parking valet for the morning. Ana stood listening, fascinated. She hadn't really understood that the Greys commanded such obedience and respect. It was a strange feeling.

Baxter secured an elevator and refused to share with other people who were also waiting. They looked both miffed and slightly amused. Baxter was obviously a bodyguard but who was he guarding?

Arriving at the suite, Baxter checked the hall and told Ana to wait there until he cleared the rooms.

"If anyone appears in the hallway, come just inside the room…no further. If you hear me yell "Go", run for the stairwell, go down one level and take the elevator the rest of the way."

"Good grief, Baxter, I've never seen you so jumpy," teased Ana, who was too filled with joy to be concerned.

"Stay here," he replied. Then, pulling a gun, he entered the suite. Several minutes later, he reappeared and opened the door wide for Ana to enter. It was a gorgeous suite….with a fireplace, a bar, a balcony, beautiful furniture and that was just the parlor.

"Now, I'll be down at the elevator. Do _not_ open this door to anyone except Taylor or your husband. Understand?"

"Yes, sir," Ana saluted. Baxter didn't smile. He was very serious. Ana was kind of relieved when he finally left. She immediately went into the posh bedroom and changed into a sexy peignoir.

She planned to be standing on the balcony when Christian arrived so that he could almost see through her lingerie but not quite.

Now…the wait.

It wouldn't be long. Christian had jumped out of the car almost before it stopped with Taylor yelling at him to wait for security. Hell, his security was Ana. He'd notified Escala that he was on his way. He'd ordered champagne, roses and a tray of desserts to be delivered to their suite.

Now….the wait.

As he flew in the door, the manager greeted him with his key card and Grey made for the elevator with Taylor huffing and puffing behind him.

"Sir, I believe that security is already upstairs stationed near the elevator."

"Excellent, Taylor. Oh, in my excitement I forgot to thank the flight crew and you and Ryan. Thank you," he said as he watched the floor numbers inch upwards. "Take the rest of the morning off and do not call me unless it's an emergency. Tell Trev that Mommy went to get Daddy and you're sure that they'll both be home soon."

"Sir, it's only 9 a.m. and Trev doesn't get done with school until noon."

"I'm well aware, Taylor," Grey responded as they exited the elevator. He nodded to Baxter and ran down the hallway. He had to light a fire and get everything prepared for Ana. He was going to romance the hell out of her. He slipped the key card into its slot and opened the door. The scent of roses filled his nostrils and the sight of someone achingly beautiful in a transparent gown nearly knocked him off his feet.

For a moment, he just stared at this vision before him. Then he closed the door behind him and strode quickly across the room to sweep Ana into his embrace. For several minutes he simply held her close and tightly, breathing in her scent. He loved the feel of her arms around his neck…her breasts against his chest, her impossibly soft body pressed into him. When, finally, he could bear to pull back a bit, he found her lips. He steeped himself in their softness until her tongue slipped ever so gently into his mouth and greeted his. Their kiss…deep and intense…felt like being able to breathe after being submerged in dark water.

"Are you hungry? The hotel brought up all this food and roses and champagne," said Ana just before Christian began kissing her again. He picked her up and carried her into the bedroom, the bed already turned down by savvy room service. He set her down on her feet and gently, with shaking hands, loosened the ties to the gown, letting it slide to the floor.

Ana unbuttoned his shirt and threw into onto a chair. She undid his belt buckle, unzipped his pants and pulled them, along with his boxers, down to the floor. She slipped off his loafers and socks and threw all of this unto the same chair. Then she sat on the bed and took hold of his penis, gently gliding her hand down to his scrotum. She lifted the penis and licked and kissed his scrotum as he grasped her shoulders to help him stay on his feet.

Then she slid her tongue up his penis and kissed his little cap, lapping up the precum on the tip before twirling her tongue from his tip to his scrotum and back again, sucking harder and harder. Christian's legs were shaking and his groans could probably be heard down at the elevator. Suddenly, he roared her name as he came, jerking over and over as the cum slid down Ana's throat. She'd never gotten used to the metallic taste of Christian's ejaculate so she made sure that he was at the back of her throat and far from her taste buds when he came. If Christian felt insulted, he never let on. He told Ana that no one had ever given him oral as well as she did. The difference was love.

Christian collapsed on the bed, face down, breathing hard and moaning. Ana cuddled up next to him and enjoyed the feel of his skin on hers. Finally, he flipped over and running his hand through her hair, he tried to tell her how much he loved her. Someday, the perfect words would come to him. He moved up on the bed and pulled Ana next to him, drawing the covers up over the two of them.

"I want so badly to make love to you but I haven't slept in 24 hours and, thanks to you, I don't have any strength left. Do you mind if I just hold you while I sleep?"

"I love you so much, Christian, and my heart is finally at peace with you home. Rest. I'll be right here when you wake," Ana softly spoke as Christian closed his eyes.

CHAPTER 34

Trev ran into the great room, screaming for his parents, but no one answered. He looked to Taylor in confusion.

"Your mother had to leave to pick up your father at the airport. They probably won't be long, Trev, unless traffic is bad. Did you know that the flight from China is 12 hours long? That's a very long time and tiring. So, you'll be patient if your daddy wants to take a nap after lunch, okay?" coaxed Taylor.

Trev looked disappointed but he figured that _he _always took a nap after lunch so his daddy could sleep at the same time. So, he agreed after warning that the traffic had better be good today.

Meanwhile, Christian and Ana were reluctantly getting dressed to return home. Though Grey had needed a nap, he needed Ana more. After trying to sleep and failing, he made love to Ana instead. Three hours wasn't nearly enough time to feel sated but it would have to do for now. They had to get home to see Trev who would be worried if they weren't there.

They clung to each other as they walked down the hall, greeted Baxter and took the elevator down to the lobby.

At the car, Grey opened his wife's door and then walked around to his own. He had just climbed into his seat when another vehicle slammed into his still open car door, tearing it off its hinges and shattering bits and pieces of it into the air. Ana screamed as she reached for Christian…to pull him toward her.

Baxter looked back to see that his boss was safely in the car.

"Sir, buckle up NOW!" he ordered as he pulled out into traffic and flew down the street.

"Both of you duck down!" Baxter's first priority was to get his charges away from the threat. There could be more, coming from any direction. He flew down the avenue, taking corners on two wheels as he veered unto the entry to the I-5 freeway, moving fast from lane to lane, watching the road behind him and then veering off at their exit. He'd turned a 20 minute trip through lunch time traffic into a five minute dash for home. Once safely in Escala's garage he hustled his bosses behind him and into the elevator while he stood with his gun drawn until the doors closed.

As the couple came off the elevator, Trev flew into his mother's arms and burst into tears. After hugging and kissing his daddy, Trev grabbed hold of his mother again and wouldn't let go. Gail confided to Christian that Trev had had a nightmare that his mommy had to go live at The Ana again.

Christian noted that Ana and Trev were deep in conversation. He knelt next to the two as they sat together on the sofa. He whispered something to them and kissed Ana. She nodded, clinging to her son. Grey needed to speak to his chief of security, to Baxter and Reynolds. He went into his study and assembled his team.

"I briefed Taylor, sir. He's dealing with the police now," said Baxter as he nodded toward Taylor.

"Do you think it was deliberate, Baxter?" asked Grey. He was still trembling inside but he didn't let it show.

"I'm inclined to believe so, sir. I distinctly heard a vehicle accelerating as I sat down. There was no attempt to slow down and the vehicle continued on at a high rate of speed. I think that it was an attempt on _your_ life, sir." Grey noted that Baxter was still breathing hard. He stood up suddenly and went to the door, looking out at his wife. Gail was with her and had brought Ana an inhaler.

Baxter could have used an inhaler, he thought to himself, as he noted Grey's composure. How did the man do that? He missed being smashed into by inches and seconds and he had an unnatural calm about him.

"The police will be coming here momentarily, Mr. Grey," said Taylor. "Reynolds, start checking the CCTV cameras in front of the Healthman. Baxter and I will go down to the garage to greet the officers and show them the car. After that, I'm sure that they'll want to speak with you and Mrs. Grey, sir."

"Very well. Baxter, thank you. Good job." Grey shook his bodyguard's hand and returned to his wife and child.

As Baxter and Taylor stood waiting for the elevator, Baxter marveled aloud how Grey could be so calm.

"He's upset," Taylor understated, "but years of being a CEO have taught him to be cool and self-possessed. Before Ana, he would be just as you see him now but since she came into his life, it's only a façade. Won't fool Ana, though. She's got his number," Taylor smiled.

Grey sat next to his wife and smiled at his son. He had to hold it together. Ana took his hand. It was shaking. She began to tell him what Trev had been up to while they'd been enjoying each other at the Healthman.

"Mostly, I miss you, Daddy," sniffled Trev. "You gone a long time. No more. You stay home with me and Mommy, okay?"

Grey picked up his son and cradled him against his chest, a tear about to escape from his eye. Ana leaned against him and the three sat there like that for quite some time…until Trev's stomach grumbled.

"You hungry, son?" Grey choked out.

"Guess so, Daddy, but how we eat? Aunt Gail went to take nap."

Ana laughed. Trev wasn't far off in his estimation of their dilemma. However, there was always mac and cheese in a tub in the fridge and Ana did know how to use a microwave.

"You boys wait while I heat up lunch," instructed Ana, "and I'll call you when it's ready."

"Don't burn it, Mommy," pleaded Trev.

Ana made it to the kitchen just as her stomach betrayed her. She slipped into a back lavatory just in time. Loud, angry images of her husband inches from death ran through her head as she retched. She rinsed out her mouth and applied a cold cloth to her head as she fought the urge to faint. Then, plastering a smile on her face, she went back into the kitchen and opened the fridge.

As she heated the mac and cheese, she looked around the corner at her husband and son cuddling on the sofa. They were safe and home. It would be all right.

They had just finished their lunch and Trev was nodding off. He hadn't slept well the night before so Grey carried him upstairs to his room and tucked him in. He watched him for a moment, thinking back to the days when an event like today's would have merely angered him. He had nothing to lose back then. He leaned down to kiss his boy's little head and wiped away the tear that had been threatening to fall since they got home.

He found Ana in the kitchen, doing the dishes. He went to the sink and put his arms around her, burying his nose in her neck.

"You okay?" he murmured. She shook her head no…then turned quickly to bury her face in his chest. "I can't get the picture out of my head. You weren't even fully in the car when the door splintered into pieces. You could have been killed, Christian." Ana desperately clung to him.

"But I wasn't. I'm just glad that none of that flying debris hit you. All that glass and plastic could have hurt you. The police will be up here momentarily to question us. We _did_ leave the scene of an accident, you know," he smiled a little.

"More like the scene of a _crime,_" Ana huffed.

Just then the elevator pinged. Taylor and the police entered the foyer. Baxter stayed below to deal with the car. Ana and Christian sighed and tried to collect themselves enough to greet the officers. They invited them to sit on the chairs and took their own seats on the sofa. The questions were simple. What did they see? What did they hear? Did they have any reason to believe that it wasn't an accident. All the usual. Reliving it upset Ana who needed an inhaler to finish the interview.

"Reynolds and I are going to be examining CCTV footage for a while, Christian," said Taylor. "We won't have any info for you until later so why don't you get in a bit of rest while Trev is napping. I'll have Baxter order a new car…something like a Sherman tank."

Christian helped Ana up from the sofa and was about to lead her back to their bedroom when Taylor noted aloud that this 'little incident' had just capped off a strange week. Grey wheeled around and glared at Taylor. Taylor grimaced at his slip of the tongue and shot Ana a look of apology.

"What was strange about it, Taylor? Care to share?" Grey smirked at his security chief. Ana kissed her husband's cheek and told him to take it easy. Nothing major happened…well, except for the R8. She said that she'd wait for him in the bedroom. Taylor called out to Reynolds to meet him and Christian in the study….again.

"Start from the top, Reynolds," Taylor commanded.

"Well, I guess it would be the visit from those people I didn't know. I got a creepy vibe off them even though they really didn't do anything, except for that woman who said that she was Mrs. Grey's mother. I reported all of that day's events to Taylor, sir."

"Taylor?" Christian glared at his security chief.

"The situation was taken care of and Mrs. Grey and I agreed that to tell you when you could do nothing and were so far from home would only worsen matters. It was a judgement call, sir."

"What does Reynolds mean by "events" plural?"

"Hmmm…the vandalism of your R8, sir, for one. All the windows broken, tires slashed and paint keyed."

"What are you talking about? I saw my R8 on the way in and it was perfect."

"Yes, sir," allowed Reynolds. "Mrs. Grey had us tow the wreck to the GEH garage and cover it up. Then she, well, she strong armed Watkins into getting a new R8 by today."

"Strong armed, eh?" Christian smiled. All the men smiled. The gentle Mrs. Grey could surprise people now and then.

"Anything else…events-wise?"

"Well, there was the envelope left on the elevator floor yesterday. We figure that it was slipped in sometime after we left to pick up Trev from school. Trev actually noticed it first but Mrs. Grey opened it. She was completely baffled by it since it was made up mainly of the most obscene language I've seen since the service. You know, her vocabulary has grown by leaps and bounds but these words were all new to her. I tried to take it from her but she insisted on keeping it. I think she might have put it in your desk drawer because she came in here immediately and left without it."

Christian opened the drawer and there it was…a plain white envelope. He took out a piece of white paper and unfolded it.

"Yikes! I don't know what this is supposed to say exactly but…." He handed the paper to Taylor, whose eyes bugged out. After studying it for a couple of minutes, he looked up with worry in his eyes.

"It seems to be a threat but I'm not quite sure to whom it is directed. From this particularly delicate phrasing right here, I'd say that the target is you, Christian. The writer seems to be implying that you have something of theirs and they intend to get it back. That is the most sense I can make of it right now but I'll keep it and work on it. I'm also beefing up security…again…on you and the family. Lord, I don't think I heard much like this even as a Seal."

"Okay, keep trying to decipher it and have any car my family is in preceded and followed by extra security. See what you can do about increasing the armor on the vehicles.

"Again, any other 'events'?"

"Yesterday morning, sir," said Baxter, "there was a call for Mrs. Grey on your private line."

"And you told her about it!?"

"Hmmm…yes, sir, I did. Since that number is private, I presumed, perhaps wrongly, that only someone known to you would have it. Mrs. Grey was delighted. She thought it was you calling."

"All right. How did she seem when the call was over?"

"She wasn't upset at all. Just annoyed. And gave orders that you not be informed."

Christian shook his head in frustration.

"Okay. Visits, letters, vandalism and phone calls. It's been real busy around here in the last week. Everybody on red alert. I think that I'll get my family out of town for a while. I've missed them and I want time with them without interruptions. Taylor, please secure The Grace for an afternoon on the Sound tomorrow. I'll take just Levin with us. You deserve the rest of the weekend off. Ryan will also have the weekend off. I'll want Johnson and Kelly to sweep The Grace and watch from the marina for any problems that could crop up when we return. Everyone is dismissed." All the men nodded and left the study.

Christian sat in his chair for a while, a study in steely composure. Inside, his emotions were roiling. He felt tired and afraid. He supposed that it was being away from Ana for a week. She was his real strength and he needed time with her to regain his own. Instead, he'd come back to dangerous relatives and a so-called friend, vicious vandalism, a threatening letter and an attempt on their lives. He couldn't let Ana see him this way. He couldn't maintain his façade of calm in the face of his perceptive wife. So, he sat in his study, trying to get his emotions under control. He only went beyond fear to fury.

NO! No one was going to take her away again. She belonged to him.

"Christian?" He looked up to see Ana standing in the doorway, watching him in her quiet way.

"Ana, why didn't you tell me about the visit from your biological units and Hyde? And the obscene letter? And the vandalism to my car? Why would you keep all that from me?" His trembling voice was filled with anger.

Ana wasn't bothered by his anger. She'd never feared him.

"You already understand why, darling. Why are you asking me to repeat what you know?" Ana spoke sweetly while she stood in front of him, running her hands through his hair to calm him.

Christian put his arms around her waist and leaned his face against her stomach, breathing in her scent and succumbing to her touch.

"You are mine," he said decisively.

"Yes, I'm yours," she smiled. She felt the tension in his body relax. They stayed like this for a while until Christian pulled down unto his lap so that his mouth could reach hers. He kissed her with possessive desperation. Sometimes, she seemed like the morning mist rising from the waters on the Sound…undeniably present but impossible to hold. But he would try. Lord, he would try.

"Do you know that you haven't yet seen our boat, The Grace? How would you like to spend the afternoon on the water tomorrow….Just you, me and Trev?"

"And your deckhand and henchman?" she giggled. Sometimes he acted as though his employees were not there. At first, she had to get used to being groped and kissed in front of an audience but now she herself tended not to notice them either.

CHAPTER 34

In the morning, Christian and Ana awoke as they heard tiny elephant feet pounding down the hallway to their bedroom. They looked at each other in horror as they realized that they'd not bothered with locking their door. They pulled their blanket up to their chins as 30 lbs. of three year-old boy burst through into the bedroom and jumped on them….well, mostly jumped on Christian…Christian's lap, to be specific. Ana tried to keep a straight face at the agonized expression on her husband's face while at the same time listening to Trev's babbling about boats.

"Get up, Mommy and Daddy. Up! Up! Time to go to boat," Trev urged as he bounced up and down on his father. Ana quickly pulled Trev over to her lap while still maintaining her modesty.

"Darling, it is still early. I want you to go out to find Aunt Gail. You know that she's up early and you can help her in the kitchen. Daddy and I will be out soon, okay?" Ana promised. Trev was disappointed at not getting his way immediately but he just sighed, kissed his mommy and crawled back over Christian's lap as he made his way to the door. Grey gnashed his teeth together.

"Better hurry," Trev warned as he closed the door. A second later, Ana jumped up from the bed and raced to turn the lock. Then she climbed back into bed and looked at Christian. His face was red and he was grimacing. She lifted the bed linens to inspect his injured penis. She gingerly placed her hand around it.

"Is it broken? It feels broken. God, I wanted to scream but how would I have explained that?" Christian could barely breathe.

Running her hand up and down the shaft, Ana noted that nothing seemed amiss.

"I think he probably just slammed it downward. It seems to be fine. My poor little dick," she remarked, as she kissed it as a mother would kiss a scraped knee.

Christian, beginning to recover, objected to the characterization of his prized body part as "little".

"The way you're running your hand up and down is soothing, however. Maybe you could keep doing that…only a little firmer."

Ana laughed and continued her ministrations until it was clear from Christian's heavy breathing and moaning that he was no longer feeling any pain. She carefully rose and straddled him and lowered herself onto his "poor little dick", pushing up and down until Christian grabbed the sheet and roared something unintelligible. Then she drew up her knees and cuddled against his chest. Within seconds, both were again asleep.

Somehow, Gail, despite it being her day off, was up bright and early fixing herself a bit of breakfast to enjoy while she sat reading next to her sleeping husband. She had a devotion to mysteries, a genre of which a reader would never run short. She felt a tug at her robe and looked down to find Trev looking a bit grim.

"Has someone bitten my kitten?" she pouted at her adored charge.

"Mommy and Daddy don't wanna get up yet. I not wanna stay in bed. What I do, Aunt Gail?"

His sad little face just about broke her heart so Gail picked him up and gave him a tender embrace. "I'm going to eat a little something and read my book. Do you want something to eat? Maybe cereal and juice? Then you can watch cartoons while I read. What do you say to that, hmmm?"

"That sound good, Aunt Gail. Cinnamon Crunch with apple bits? Please?" Trev said.

So it was that Taylor woke up alone…cursing his bosses. He wanted his wife in bed with him. She was so warm and soft in the morning and she smelled good, too. He suspected her failure to return had something to do with Trev. He loved the little guy, too, but he sure was a cockblocker.

A few hours later, rested, loved, showered and dressed, the "bosses" emerged from their lair. The look on Taylor's face caused some uncomfortable feelings but Grey decided to ignore his guilt. God knows, he paid the man a king's ransom for his services. He could put up with a little inconvenience. Say, about 30 lbs. worth.

"Good morning," he announced cheerfully. Taylor grunted. Ana had taken Trev's hand and gone off to his room to get him ready for his day on the boat. She was worried actually. She didn't know how she'd take to water and was also afraid that Trev would fall overboard. Christian had repeatedly assured her that their son would be trussed up in a life vest and tied to the railing. Trev had been on the boat several times and his favorite spot was right smack at the tip of the bow, his little legs on either side of a railing spindle. Grey's boat manager had rigged up a small replica of the helm so that Trev could pretend to steer the ship. He would sit there for hours, often falling asleep at the wheel.

In an effort to make up for sticking Gail with Trev duty on her day off, Christian began the process of putting together a picnic lunch for his family to take on the boat. Gail smiled, knowing what he was doing and pushed him aside. He really had no talent at all in the kitchen, even at making sandwiches. He'd only make a mess that she'd have to clean up. Besides, she'd told him when he hired her that it must be understood that the kitchen was hers. Period.

Christian moved around to sit at the breakfast bar next to Taylor who was wolfing down a huge bowl of cereal…Christian's favorite kind.

"Did you eat it all? Is there any left for me?" he snarled.

"I hope not," Taylor snarled right back.

"Guess I shouldn't have mentioned the boat last night, huh?" Grey allowed. "Trev wouldn't have gotten up so early."

"Ya think?" Taylor snarked.

"Ah, well. Lesson learned. Won't happen again. Gail thank you for babysitting my son on your time off." Christian looked with gratitude at his nanny/cook/family.

"I don't consider spending time with my darling nephew to be babysitting, Christian. Some people just got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning," she said, giving her husband a scolding glance.

"I got up on the right side. It was just cold and empty…unlike yours," Taylor said, staring down Grey.

"Would it help to know that he barged in, jumped right on me and dang near broke my morning wood?" Grey whispered to Taylor. Yes, that helped quite a bit. Taylor almost spit up his cereal and then roared with laughter.

"Would have been even funnier if he _had_ broken it," he chuckled.

Grey was about to retort with what he considered a brilliant rebuttal when Ana returned with a washed and dressed up Trev. She'd found a sailor outfit in his closet, complete with hat. He looked like a little commodore. They both stood grinning at their audience.

It was time to set sail.

CHAPTER 35

Levin was their driver today. He was nervous. He hadn't had the job long and it was a real good one. The pay was great and the benefits the best. In exchange, Grey expected perfection. Levin, up to this point, had only watched the monitors in the security office and driven Gail to the supermarket. Today, he felt, he was being thrown into the deep end. He was not only in charge of the welfare of his boss but of the man's wife and son. He and the boss had barely spoken except for the day he was hired when Grey sternly laid out his expectations. Taylor had done likewise…only _more_ sternly. Levin knew that it was only Taylor's strong desire to spend the day with his wife that had kept him from driving the Greys himself. Taylor had, therefore, sat Levin down and mightily impressed upon him the gravity of his duties that day. Levin was well trained and experienced but under Taylor's ferocious gaze, he felt like a rookie.

Levin had served in every stinkin' war that his government had gotten into for a decade. He had the medals to prove it. He had then provided protection services for sheiks, ambassadors and diplomats of every description and dozens of high profile public "servants". When his friend Tom Ryan had called him about a job with a wealthy family, he turned it down. Sounded dull. But his family lived mostly in Seattle and his parents were getting older. They sounded more frightened with every letter and phone call….especially the ones where he was incommunicado for weeks at a time. When the news outlets told of attempts on the lives of this sheik or that politician, the resultant phone call from his parents grew ever more frightened. His siblings reminded him that his parents were getting older and that his occupation was wearing on their health. After his father had a mild heart attack, Levin decided to dial back the danger in his life.

He called Tom and asked if the job was still available. Always, said Tom. So, Tom arranged an interview with Taylor. Levin figured that he was a shoe-in with_ his_ record. He figured that it was more a matter of whether _he_ wanted the job than whether they wanted him for it. He figured wrong. His record was impressive, Taylor allowed. Levin had never lost a client. But this job was guarding the Greys. He made it sound like Levin would be tasked with keeping the president's entire family alive for eight years all by himself. Levin had a hard time keeping his skepticism about the importance of this job to himself but he managed a solemn expression and didn't roll his eyes. Taylor looked unimpressed but agreed to let Levin be interviewed by the boss.

An hour later, Levin left Grey's office in a daze. He'd gotten the job and it was the first time that he felt that he was damn lucky to have passed an interview. It wasn't the paycheck or the benefits that overwhelmed him. It was the boss. His presence. His intensity. The way he looked right thru Levin. He revealed his thoughts on the personalities and activities of Levin's past employers with such stunning accuracy that he left Levin reeling. How, Levin asked, did Grey know these things? He looked to Taylor for answers. Had Taylor done a deep vetting on each of these individuals? How else could this guy who ran a tech company know all these things?

Taylor answered simply that he paid attention. Later, Taylor told him that whatever he himself knew about Levin's past employers, he learned from Grey.

_**Don't**__,_ he advised Levin, _ever_ underestimate Christian Grey. And don't underestimate the dangers the family faced. He then showed Levin a file drawer in his office labeled with the current year…it was stuffed and there were months yet to go in the year. When Levin asked about the file's contents, Taylor sighed. Death threats. Threats to torture and rape Ana. Threats to kidnap and behead Trevelyan Grey. Even threats to harm Gail. Levin was stunned. What had Grey done to deserve all this hate?

Well, replied Taylor, he had the audacity to start a company when he was 20 years old and turn it into a multibillion dollar private concern in less than 10 years. He was also devastatingly handsome with a beautiful wife. A lot of the threats were from women obsessed with either the handsome husband or from men lusting after the stunning wife. Taylor tried to convince his boss to let Taylor go through the mail and weed out the threats in order to reduce his stress but Grey was a control freak who felt that he needed to know. So, said Taylor, now you know why your job is not just babysitting a rich guy. Without actually saying it, Taylor also implied that Levin take his duty to protect Taylor's own wife quite seriously. Levin wondered why someone would want to hurt a humble housekeeper. Taylor offered to let Levin read the contents of the file cabinet if he ever had the time or notion to do so.

Levin had decided one day to stop for a few minutes before leaving for home after his shift to delve into the files. It was hours later, only a short way through the dense pile, that Levin finally came to the conclusion that he'd not tell his family that his new job was way worse than his last. He could only hope that the writers of these missives were just loons letting off steam.

Levin had practiced securing Trev in his car seat as quickly as humanly possible by using a large doll he'd picked up at a thrift store. Once he felt secure in his technique, he donated the doll back to the store.

Having perfected his skill in this, Levin used it to tuck little Trev into his seat in the time it takes to whistle for a cab. Ana and Christian gaped at Levin as they watched him snap up their child, insert him into the seat and secure all the clips in a lightening whirl. Levin then stood back and held the door for the missus. Trev was dazed. Ana and Christian merely bewildered. Levin couldn't help but notice their stunned expressions.

"25 to 30 seconds, sir, ma'am. With more practice, I could probably get that time down. Of course, as young master Grey grows, I'll have to increase my skill."

Ana and Christian looked at each other.

"Very well done, Levin. You're well prepared for a quick get-away….should one be necessary," congratulated Christian. As Levin made his way around the front of the car to the driver's side, Ana asked Christian in a whisper why they would have to make a quick get-away. He whispered back…meter maid….expired meter. Oh, said Ana. Christian didn't want to begin their pleasant afternoon with a lecture on outrunning people with guns.

With Trev secured in the middle of the back seat, Levin eased the car out of its space and began the journey to the marina. Much as he loved his son, Christian missed the days when he could sit with his arm around Ana and sometimes with her on his lap. When he reached across Trev's lap to take Ana's hand, Trev pretended their linked hands were bongos. After being slapped a few dozen times, the adults gave up and the child took to kicking his legs restlessly while urging Levin to drive faster.

Levin was consumed with his duty. Watching the traffic for any kind of danger. Other drivers running lights. T-boning Grey would be a good way to attempt a murder. Watching the cars to the rear….was anyone following? Levin was a finely tuned machine, intent on his job. Anything could happen but it wasn't going to on his watch.

The car was filled with tension. Grey wanted to touch his wife. Ana was over-stimulated by all the madness of Seattle traffic. Trev wanted to be at the boat. Levin was on the look-out for assassins.

When the marina came into view, everyone began to relax….except Levin, of course.

Once they were parked, Christian quickly unlatched his son and handed him off to Levin who'd just opened the car door. Then he undid his own seatbelt and leaned over to insert an inhaler into Ana's open mouth as she gasped for air. He should have known that all that scenery flashing by could trigger an asthma attack. She began to relax until her breath was even. She smiled gratefully at Grey. Her hero. She leaned against him for a moment until Trev began squirming in Levin's arms, demanding to be set down.

Ana kept hold of the inhaler in one hand and Christian's arm with her other as he carried Trev down the boardwalk to the sailboat at the end. It was, of course, the largest boat in the marina. It also had a permanent deckhand…thus making it the envy of all the other boat owners who had to scrape their own barnacles. Mac greeted his boss and bowed slightly to Ana. They'd met years before, of course, but he understood that much had changed. He did know little Trev.

"Hey, cap'n," he greeted Trev. Trev saluted Mac.

"I've a surprise for you. Come along now," Mac grinned. Trev left his father's arm for Mac's as they climbed aboard. At the point of the bow, where before Mac had installed the little helm for Trev, was now a miniature captain's chair as well…with a seatbelt. Trev's scream of delight shattered ear drums for miles around as he clambered up unto the seat. Mac slipped on his life vest and secured the seat belt. Trev began turning the wheel around and yelling for the boat to go so Mac went off to start the engines.

"Is that enough to keep him safe?" fretted Ana. "What if the chair breaks free?"

Christian knelt and inspected the fittings. "Well, it's screwed down damn tight, honey, and if I know Mac, Trev is the safest person on this boat. You should have seen Mac the first time I brought Trev down to meet him. You'd have thought that I was introducing him to the second coming. Believe me. Mac would do nothing that would ever endanger Trev. The chair, the helm…it's all meant to keep Trev from running around the boat."

"Ooh, I see. Clever man. A man after my husband's own heart," she grinned.

"Heart's taken…wouldn't matter who was after it," he replied.

"Oh, I have eyes. Women drool over you and stare daggers at me. Sometimes I wish you were a mite uglier. Maybe a little smelly. A bad dresser," she continued as Christian laughed.

Levin listened to his bosses laughing. Wearing his life vest, he was stiff and attentive as he wandered about the boat trying to be out of the way whilst still keeping watch.

CHAPTER 36

As Trev skillfully steered the boat through the calm waters of the sound, Ana and Christian snuggled together on the cushioned deck seat. With his wife's face lit up like Christmas and his son squealing with delight, Christian had never had such a wonderful time on his boat. It had always been one of the few places where he felt peace and now it was also where he felt a joy that he hadn't known was possible. He was making his family happy and he realized that doing that was all he'd ever want out of life.

They'd been sitting there about an hour, saying little, when Christian noted that Trev was slumped over in his chair. Steering a boat is hard work, he guessed. He undid the seatbelt and he and Ana took Trev downstairs into the small bedroom that was always his. Then he and Ana went into the master bedroom. Ana gasped at its size and beauty. Then she threw herself on the bed with a giggle. Christian followed, fully intending to make love to his wife when she threw him off track with a question he hadn't expected.

"Christian, how did we meet?"

A simple question, not so easy to answer, but perhaps now was the time to tell Ana everything.

"I'm surprised that you haven't asked before now. You've been awake for months and you've never shown any interest in how we came to be. Why is that?"

"I've been so consumed with learning my way around…around life, I guess. And, of course, the whole motherhood thing. Seems it took me forever to understand that I am a mother. I'm still confused by most things. I was your wife before I knew what that meant. Maybe if I learned how we came to be husband and wife, I'd learn more about this life I'm living."

She sat on the bed with her legs crossed in front of her, looking ready to be a good student. She was so adorable, he took a deep breath and tried not to jump her bones.

"Okay…the story of us," he began. He told her how they'd first met at his parents, at Grey Manor. His parents, he said, held a Sunday brunch every week for the family. He usually tried to get out of it but sometimes he had to cave into his sweet mother's demand. And so he came to be there on the day that Elliot had brought his new girlfriend, Kate, to meet the family. Elliot had told Christian about meeting Kate when he first intended to meet Ana, the girl giving him the sharp-eyed look from the back booth at the bar.

"I hadn't had a…," he hesitated. It was too soon, he decided, to tell her about his BDSM days. He covered his delay with a cough and then went on to tell her that he hadn't had a _girlfriend_ for some time and his brother wanted to set him up with Ana.

"Did we like each other right away?" Ana beamed, bouncing on the bed.

"We didn't even talk to each other. Throughout dinner, everyone else talked while we ate. After dinner, you settled on the couch with a book and I took out my tablet and went to work."

"Work? Like GEH work?"

"Yep. I was a different kind of guy before I fell for you. Work and working out were my main occupations. I love my family but I hardly knew them before you. I'd been building my company since I was 20. Working around the clock, learning to get by on very little sleep. I didn't start sleeping past dawn until I began sleeping with you. Speaking of," he said, nuzzling his wife's neck, "shouldn't we be taking this opportunity, while Trev is out cold, to…." He hinted. Ana shook her head firmly and instructed him to keep going with his story. He groaned dramatically and pulled Ana down on the bed, enveloping her in his arms as he continued with his story.

"The next Sunday and the ones after that were pretty much the same. I showed up about every other month and you often weren't there either and we never looked at each other at all." He stopped for a moment.

"What's wrong, Christian? Why did you stop?" Ana inquired.

"I just had a memory. I'd forgotten. I _did_ notice you. I don't remember which Sunday it was but as I was working, I heard a soft giggle. It was a sound unlike any I'd ever heard. My heart kind of stopped, it seemed. I looked up and saw you talking with Mia and was struck by your beauty. Scared the hell out of me. I didn't want to waste time on a woman. I had to keep building my company and you would have been a mammoth distraction. With my heart pounding like a jackhammer, I grabbed my jacket, kissed my mom and flew out of there. I didn't go back for brunch again after that. It took a couple of weeks of burying myself in work to get you out of my head. Even so, you'd pop up in my dreams and I'd wake up aching for you."

"Oh, my sweet man, I wish I could remember what I was thinking and feeling back then. I must have been in love with you. How could I not have been?" Ana was looking at him with such love in her eyes but he couldn't stop his story to kiss her or he'd never get back to it.

"Well, you showed no sign of even knowing that I was in the room and Kate has since told me that she wanted to set us up but you barely looked up from your book," he laughed.

"Anyway, I didn't see you again until Kate and Elliot announced their engagement and talked me into loaning them one of my jets…."

"_ONE _of your jets?!" Ana fairly screamed. Christian laughed.

"Well, actually, one of _our_ jets. Community property, you know." Then he began laughing again when Ana looked around for a notebook and a pen.

"It means, as I've mentioned before, that what's mine is yours and what's yours is mine."

"I don't have anything, mister. You got screwed," Ana smirked.

"Yes and I've been enjoying every second of said screwing, thank you very much," he chuckled.

"_ANY_way, to continue, when we arrived in Las Vegas for what was supposed to be a big blowout of an engagement weekend, it was hot, dusty and windy…perfect conditions for an asthma attack. I didn't know what was happening. You collapsed almost the moment that your feet touched the tarmac and you were gasping desperately for breath. Your face was red and your lips were turning blue. Thinking hospital, I scooped you up and carried you into the limo where Kate shoved something into your mouth. I'd never even seen an inhaler. She was so calm, told me that you'd be all right in a moment and then you'd sleep. I was shaking like a leaf in a windstorm. I held you in my arms all the way to the hotel and then carried you up to your room and tucked you into bed."

Ana was staring at Christian, entranced by the story. He went on to tell her that he found her later in a small, out-of-the-way bar, bored and nursing a rum and coke so he went over to ask after her health. They talked for quite a while and then left to go for a walk.

"I'd never been able to converse so freely with a woman. It was as if we'd known each other for many years and been through so much history together. I took your hand as we left and you held on. I didn't think anything of it. It just seemed natural."

He related some more of their conversation right up to when they spotted The Tiniest Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas. As he shared the tale of their nuptials, Ana's eyes grew bigger and bigger. She looked down at her ring and then his ring.

"Once, when Gail and I were in the grocery store, a lady recognized me from an article about us in the Seattle Nooz. I remember that she just grabbed my hand without asking and looked at my ring. Then she said that the story was right. I was wearing sweat pants and sneakers and my wedding ring and she said that from the looks of me, my husband was a rich miser. She thought I should be wearing "a rock so big that you could barely hold up your hand". Gail shooed her away and told me to pay no attention to nosy people.

"I love my ring. It's easy to wear. I don't knock it into things and Gail says that no one will chop off my finger to get at it."

"I've often thought of getting you a proper ring but I'm sentimental. If you had ever mentioned wanting something shinier, we'd have been off to Cartier. You know, you don't even have an engagement ring. Wouldn't you like a diamond ring?"

"No, I don't like being loaded down with bling," she smiled, pleased with her command of a slang term. "Keep going. We were drunk and _fake_ married…we thought."

Yes, Christian said. The next part was more difficult to share. To let Ana know that her new in-laws suspected her of deception and that they took forever to warm up to her. He saw the dismay in her eyes. He tried to explain that the circumstances were so unusual and that he'd always been a difficult child and, thus, they were extra protective of him. He'd never even brought a girl home before and they feared that he was naïve.

"Do they like me now?" Ana whimpered, tears brimming.

"They _love_ you, adore you, Ana. They feared that I would always be alone in this life, would never know love and somehow, in a crazy way, I'd found not just a nice girl to marry but an incredibly wonderful woman far beyond any expectation they could have. They haven't talked to you in more than three years and have been patient with the lack of visits because they respect your need to heal. While you were asleep, my parents and Mia and Kate and Elliot all often came to talk to you, to beg you to come back to them. Yes, Ana, they like you now." Christian kissed Ana's tears from her face.

"Shall I go on or save the rest for another day?" he asked.

"No, finish. Please."

So Christian did go on, trying to recall as many details as possible. He reminded her about the picture of them on the mantel, taken at their second wedding.

"Oh, my, I always just assumed that that was our wedding picture. I wondered why I was wearing pink!" she laughed.

Christian continued with the story right up to the part he hated.

"Trev was 5 weeks early and that was what I thought we had to worry about but then I watched as you endured almost a day of agony. The doctor called your contractions "abnormally strong". I wanted to sock her. My wife is screaming with pain. Finally, it was decided that despite your objections, your desire to push him out yourself, that Trev was in distress and had to be born by caesarean section immediately. They placed him, a bloody mess, on your chest. You smiled and then closed your eyes. You didn't open them again for more than three years." Christian had to stop. He tried rubbing his eyes to disguise the tears.

"Your heart stopped. They rushed you into surgery but you'd lost so much blood and were so worn out that you slipped into a coma. They informed me that people usually wake up from comas within a few days or they die. You were something of a miracle that you stayed alive. There was a period early on when they thought that you were brain dead but you came back from that and again a couple years later."

"You were with me. I was in a dark void but I wasn't afraid. I think I could feel you with me," said Ana.

"I would put Trev to bed every night and then go to the hospital to sleep with you. In the morning I'd go home to wake Trev. He never knew that I was gone. After work I'd play with him, eat dinner, put him to bed. Do it all over again. Three years. I would have done that for the rest of your life, if need be. I couldn't be without you. Oh, god, Ana," he pulled her tightly into his arms, his tears falling into her hair… "I was so lost without you. I only kept going because of Trev and because of hope. Thank you, thank you, for coming back to me. I love you so very much. You are my life. You are everything," he cried.

Ana could hardly breathe because he was holding her so tight but she said nothing. She tried to hug him back just as hard, murmuring over and over her love for him. She had never seen him like this. He was always so strong, even when he was emotional. He'd cried before, a little, when they'd first made love but this…this full on sobbing his heart out was breaking hers. He'd suffered so…all for need of her.

She pushed away from him and went to the door, locking it. Then she stripped off her clothes and gently began to undress her husband before beginning to kiss him all over, to love him all over. They made deep, intense love to each other until the pain in Christian eased. He stayed inside of her and held her close as they looked into each other's eyes.

"Daddy, Mommy, I hungry!" hollered an impatient little man who had no idea of the love that people could have for each other. He just wanted lunch. He knew that there was a peanut butter and jelly samich in that hamper.

Ana and Christian smiled at each other. Ana called out that Trev should have Levin open the hamper and that mommy and daddy would be out soon.

"Back to reality, dear one," Ana said. With an exaggerated sigh of frustration, Grey pulled out of Ana and pulled her into the shower. After dressing, they went topside to find their son safely seated in his captain chair, sipping on a juice box and eating his sandwich while steering the ship with his feet. They each deposited kisses on his cheeks before sitting down to eat their own lunches.

Christian felt pretty good. He'd gotten the story out. He'd made wonderful love with his wonderful love and this was a pretty good sandwich. Then Ana spoke and the world flipped on its axis once more.

"Christian, I think we should get started on another child soon, don't you think?"

CHAPTER 37

"Hell, no, I _don't_ think!" Christian replied, with an astonished expression.

"Ana, you don't remember what it was like for you...being pregnant. You were always sick, underweight. I was scared all the time. Then Trev came five weeks early. Your labor was horrendous and ultimately almost fatal. You can't go through that again. _I_ can't go through that again. Don't ask that of me.

"Besides, after Trev was born, I had a vasectomy."

"How could you do that without discussing it with me? Don't I have a say in this?"

"Put yourself in my shoes, Ana," pleaded Christian. "You stand by helpless while I go through hell. Twice you almost lose me. You try to keep your sanity while raising a child alone and watching me sleep away my life. When I do wake up, I don't even know who you are. We're only just beginning to rebuild our life."

Ana thought that she understood Christian's reasoning but she also wanted more children. She wanted a sibling or two for Trev. She wanted to feel a child growing inside her. Even if they conceived soon, there would still be a four year gap between Trev and his sibling. It appeared that she herself was an only child and she didn't want that for Trev. She wanted him to have someone with whom to share familial history, especially when she and Christian were gone.

"Okay, that was bad luck," Ana began.

"Bad luck!?" Christian retorted, bristling. "That's what you're calling illness, agony, coma, amnesia…bad luck!"

"Poor choice of words?" Ana conceded. "However, that was probably a one-off and next time I'll have a normal pregnancy."

"Oh, sure. Let's just try that out and see. Couldn't hurt," sneered Christian, "And if it's a repeat performance, we'll just put in another few years of coma and I'll raise another motherless child. Me, Ana. Not you. You'll sleep through the whole thing."

"I know you've been through a lot, Christian, but so have I. You're not being fair."

"_**I'm**_ not being fair. You're proposing possible suicide and _**I'm**_ not being fair?"

"Would you be willing to at least consider it?" pleaded Ana.

"Would I be willing to consider going through that hell on earth all over again? Hell to the no, Ana. You're not ever getting pregnant again and _that_ is the end of it. Discussion over," Christian proclaimed, getting up, going down into the cabin and slamming the door behind him.

Ana was fuming. Who the hell does he think he is?, she thought. It's my body. This is the 21st century and I have rights. He is not my lord and master.

She rose from her seat and opening the cabin door, slammed it shut again before going back to sit down. It was then that she noticed Trev twisted around in his seat, staring.

"It's all right, sweetie. Mommy and Daddy are just having a heated discussion."

"What is 'eated cussion'," Trev asked.

"An argument. A fight," she seethed. At the word, fight, Trev began to cry. "No, Mommy and Daddy not fight."

Ana gathered her son up in her arms and sat back down on the deck seat. She rocked him until he calmed and assured him that even though mommies and daddies sometimes argue, it doesn't mean that anything is really wrong. Everything will be fine.

She and Christian had never had a fight. She didn't like it but she was royally pissed at her dumb ass dictatorial husband. She knew the word 'vasectomy' from a book she had read. AND she knew that it could be reversed.

Christian came back up on deck, having calmed down and feeling unsettled being at odds with his wife. He looked down at Trev and reassured him that everything was fine. And it was. For a second or so. Then Ana informed Christian that he could get his vasectomy reversed. He turned on his heel and went back into the cabin, slamming the door behind him.

He stayed down in the master bedroom until Mac had berthed the Grace back into her mooring at the marina. Levin, who had spent the trip hiding in various corners of the ship, reappeared. He packed up the hamper and then knocked softly on the cabin door.

"Sir, we've arrived back at the marina."

"No shit, Sherlock," Christian swore at his CPO. He stormed up on deck and took the hamper from Levin before charging down the plank to the boardwalk. He turned to Ana, walking behind him with Trev in her arms.

"Should I take him?" he asked.

"I'm not helpless, you Neanderthal. I can carry a baby," Ana answered churlishly.

"No, you can't…and won't," Christian answered just as churlishly.

As they proceeded down the boardwalk, Ana kept having to adjust her hold on her 30 lb. son. It was a long walk to the car. Half way, Christian turned to Ana and took Trev from her two arms with his one. Then carrying his son and the hamper, he stomped on. Ana followed steps behind, picturing Christian falling into the water as she laughed.

Levin was walking ahead and couldn't see but could literally feel the tension roiling between them. He was acutely uncomfortable. In the short time that he'd worked for the Greys, he'd had to grow accustomed to their PDAs…which were constant. They simply couldn't stop touching each other. This storm between them was throwing him for a loop.

Christian had always insisted on opening his wife's car door. This time Ana went ahead and got her own door, buckling herself in and sitting with arms crossed while staring mutely straight ahead. Christian settled Trev in his car seat and placed the hamper in the back. All this was done in complete and utterly uncomfortable silence. Levin was grateful for the hum of the motor as he turned the key.

The trip home was in total silence as well. In the rear view mirror, Levin could see a puzzled Trev looking from parent to parent, back and forth. He even picked up their hands and put them together on his lap. He appeared frustrated when they immediately put their hands back in their own laps.

"Mommy and Daddy talk now," Trev insisted.

"TALK!" he demanded.

Both parents turned to Trev and kissed his cheeks and then went back to staring out the window.

"TALK!"

"Trev, wouldn't you like to have a brother or sister to play with?" Ana asked sweetly.

"Fuckin' dirty pool," Christian muttered.

"Baby sister," Trev said. Ana smiled smugly and Christian glared at her.

"Get one on way home?" Trev suggested, in an effort to be helpful.

Both parents had trouble keeping angry expressions on their faces at this remark. However, Ana had an answer.

"It takes 9 months to grow a baby in a mommy's belly…like Aunt Kate, remember?" Ana asked. "You'd be almost four years old before one was born."

"No," Trev asserted confidently. "Too long. Get one on way home. Please?"

"Good going, Ana," Christian snarled. "Now look what you've started."

"It appears that you are outvoted but then this isn't a democracy, is it?" Ana snarled right back.

Trev sighed. It appeared that his parents were not going to be sensible any time soon. He didn't want a baby anyway. He'd watched his cousin Ross slobber, have messy diapers changed, spit up on people and cry for no reason. No need for one of those around.

For the rest of the evening and into the night, silence ensued. Doors were slammed. Occasionally one or the other would spew out what they considered an on-point, brilliant rebuttal to the other's on-point, brilliant argument. Levin retreated to the security office where Ryan was watching all the drama on the monitors.

"Geez, I've been with this family for five years and the closest they ever came to a fight was over Ana eating her vegetables. I hand them over to you for one lousy, scenic float down the Sound and they come home growling at each other, if they speak at all. Nice job," Ryan teased.

"Don't. I'm off duty in about ten minutes and then I'm retreating to my gym where I'll spend the entire time in the steam room, sweating out my anxiety. I gather that they're fighting about Ana having another baby. All yours, buddy. Enjoy your night," Levin said as he grabbed his bag and, of course, slammed the door on his way out.

Thirty minutes later, Gail emerged from her quarters and stood behind Ryan, studying the monitors.

"I couldn't read. Couldn't concentrate. I never realized how many doors we have in this place. Seems one is being slammed every few seconds. What the devil is going on?"

"Couples argue. No big," Ryan noted casually.

"The only thing those two have ever argued about is who should ring off first on a phone call."

"So, why don't you hitch up your granny panties and go ask Ana what's going on?" Ryan challenged.

"My what?!" Gail exploded. "Have you been going through my underwear drawer or talking to Jason?"

Ryan threw his head back, laughing. Gail was only a few years older than him…okay, a decade…but he'd seen Taylor returning from shopping, carrying Victoria's Secret bags, many times. Gail had tried to patiently explain to her husband that she didn't want a thong riding up between her butt cheeks while she was scrubbing Trev's tub.

"Do I _look_ crazy?" she asked. However, her curiosity was killing her so she decided to "run into" Ana.

Gail put down her book and set out for the library, Ana's likely hideout. Sure enough, she found Ana standing precariously on the top step of the ladder, looking at a book. It was a calculated move. She knew that Christian would come looking for her and totally freak out when he saw her up there.

"Ana!" exclaimed Gail. "What are you doing up there? Christian will have a fit if he sees you on top of that ladder!"

Ana giggled. "I know. That pleases my vindictive side."

"Dear girl, I didn't know that you even had a vindictive side," remarked Gail, as she held the ladder steady.

"I'm getting one and finding that it becomes me," Ana smirked.

"Do you want to talk, dear," smiled Gail, "preferably down here?"

Ana sighed. "I suppose. Christian won't come looking for me yet. He just made his rounds a short time ago." She slid down the rails in her stocking feet…another little trick that scared Christian…and Gail…and the security team.

She and Gail settled on the couch and Ana drew in a big sigh before she began. Gail was, therefore, expecting a long story.

"I want to have another baby and soon," Ana said brightly.

"ARE YOU NUTS?" bellowed Gail.

Ana's jaw dropped open. Sweet, docile Gail was yelling at her. This was new.

"No, I want Trev to have siblings and I want a large family. Did you know that my husband went and had himself snipped shortly after Trev's birth? And without even talking to me about it first!" Ana said with indignation.

"Without even….good lord, woman. You nearly died…D E A D…giving birth. You lost three years of your life AND your memory AND half your body weight. _Of course, _he had a vasectomy. What can you be thinking?"

"Gail, I'm perfectly healthy, save a slight case of asthma."

"A slight case of asthma. I think I'm going to have a slight case of hysteria in a moment.

Ana, you are in denial. You are delicate anyway but you also have a defcon 1 case of asthma. But that isn't the worst of it. You are not, I'm sorry to say, born to breed. Some women, like Kate, for instance, are built for bearing babies. She never gets sick, breezes through labor and goes home immediately. You, on the other hand, get very sick, very often and very violently. You can be heard retching from the other end of the house. You have a long and brutal labor ending in having to be cut open anyway and _then_ you burst blood vessels in your brain resulting in three years of coma.

While you're busy being very bad at bearing a baby, your husband is aging a decade watching all this. I helped raise Trev for three years, Ana. I wish you could have seen Christian every night when he left for The Ana. Gaunt. Pale. Sad. Scared. Pick a dozen adjectives to even begin to describe his despair."

Ana listened respectfully to Gail. She had, of course, heard all this from Christian himself but it was different coming from Gail. She sat silently, reflecting, until she burst into tears.

"Then what am I going to do, Gail? I want a baby. Badly."

"Oh, come here, sweetie," soothed Gail as she cuddled her little Anastasia Rose. "We'll figure something out. You do have options, you know? Adoption. Surrogacy. I think that you should first go have a talk with your doctor. No, no,_ first_, you should stop slamming doors and go kiss your husband. It's been hours since you necked in front of the whole staff and it's really putting them off their game."

Ana nodded. Then she giggled. "Have you seen Levin? Poor man. I think he shrank 3 inches today."

"He's probably out drinking," Gail laughed. "Now, go. Talk to Christian. He's probably half out of his mind…missing you."

Ana kissed and hugged Gail. Then she headed down the hall to the study. She didn't knock. She was the only person ever permitted to interrupt Christian when he was working. She quietly opened the door to see her husband lying on the couch with his arm over his eyes. Hearing the door open, Grey looked up at Ana impassively. He was not going to let her see how wrecked he felt.

"What do you….?" He began to ask but stopped when Ana started to unbutton her blouse. His dick immediately stood at attention. But no.

"Ana," he managed to choke out, "sex isn't going to fix this." Ana said nothing as she removed her blouse and then slipped off her slacks. By the time she'd removed her bra, Christian was thinking "Well, maybe it's a start….."

"Would you like to help me out of my panties?" words softly spoken that crashed into Christian and brought him down. What fight? Just why was he angry?

He sat up and slipped his fingers beneath the waistband of her panties and eased them down to the floor, lifting her feet to help her out of the soft cotton. Then Ana knelt beside the couch to undo Christian's belt. That did it. He couldn't wait any longer. He had to be inside Ana, to feel whole and safe again. He was out of his clothes and into his wife in seconds. She wrapped her legs around his back, her hands holding his face as she looked into his darkened gray eyes. Breathing hard, he dove deeper and deeper into her, feeling her warmth, her softness, the tightness that always held and caressed him and made him feel that all was well. He carefully angled his cock so that it rubbed her clitoris. Ana's breath came hard as she opened her mouth and had to arch her back.

"Look at me, Ana, look at me," Grey commanded. She obeyed.

"Come for me, Ana. Come for me, baby. Show me what I make you feel," he ordered her.

Waves of spasms tore through her as she tried to keep her eyes on his. Suddenly, his head flew back and then forward into her shoulder as his orgasm gripped him and left him in a world of only Ana. He collapsed on her and pulled her into a circle of his arms. As his breathing eased, he spoke of his love for her, his longing and desperate need. Then he rolled them over unto their sides.

"If we ever fight again, it will kill me. Being apart from you…I...I," he tried to find the words.

"I love you, Christian. We'll be just fine. Always." She smiled at him and they fell asleep.

Gail looked at the closed door and wondered if she should start dinner. Then she remembered. It was her day off. She was reading her book. _Her_ husband would return from his errands soon. She texted Jason to bring home Chinese takeout which was their code for "feed me and I'm yours". Then she returned to their apartment and put on her sexiest Victoria's Secret negligee.

CHAPTER 38

Having fed their bodies and souls, Gail and Jason lay in each other's arms, content. It was well after 10 pm., a late night for these two. Gail was making Jason laugh as she described the Grey's homecoming after a day on the water.

"Trev was falling asleep when they came in so I volunteered to put him to bed. He was trying to stay awake so that he'd be there to meet the new baby. He thought that they were just going to go out to the baby store to pick one up. He told me to tell his folks that he wanted a blue one," Gail giggled.

"Ah, I guess I missed a great day. It was so quiet when I got home," said Jason.

"Well, as I recall, it got a little louder when you saw me in that negligee," grinned Gail. She was a decade older than Jason, hadn't imagined ever falling in love again, and it pleased her that she pleased her husband so much. She didn't have to imagine what the Greys were getting up to after her talk with Ana.

"Poor Christian. Geez, what was Ana thinking? I should think that she'd be scared to death herself of getting pregnant again. And this brooding thing just popped up out of nowhere," said Jason.

"Well, I think that she understands now. She's still thinking like Trev. She wants something and doesn't consider the consequences. I'm not sure that she should be having a child at all until she has a lot more recovery under her belt," remarked Gail.

Jason slid down to be face to face with his wife.

"Speaking of recovering under a belt…." He grinned salaciously at Gail.

Meanwhile, Christian was just waking from his nap with Ana who was still sleeping. He picked up his phone and texted the security office to turn off the cameras from his study to his bedroom for the next five minutes. He didn't want to get dressed and he certainly didn't want Ana to get dressed.

_Sorry, boss. No can do. Against protocol._

**You're hilarious. Remind me to fire you in the morning.**

_Cameras down for next five minutes. Better hustle._

**Maybe I'll just fire you now. I've forgotten. Who's on tonight?**

_Sorry again, boss. Can't say. Damn security protocols, eh?_

Christian scooped Ana up in his arms and walked quickly out of his study and across the penthouse to their bedroom. In the morning, someone would probably notice the study door open, go to close it and notice all the clothes lying about. Well, laugh, suckers, laugh. I got the girl.

In the morning, he'd suggest to Ana that they go to dinner at Grey Manor. She was well enough now to see everyone at once. They could talk to his mother about adoption and surrogacy. He'd thought of that earlier and congratulated himself on coming up with options. He tucked Ana into bed, kissed her and pulled up the covers. Yeah, everything would be fine.

Dinner at Grey Manor

"Mom, hi, good morning. Yeah, everything's great. In fact, I was hoping that you could fit in three extra guests for dinner tonight," Christian laughed as his excited mother squealed in his ear. "I'll take that as a yes. Uh huh…yeah, she's doing great. Wants to have another child. Yikes, mom! Take it down a decibel. Pregnancy is out but we want to talk about adoption and surrogacy. Are you ready for that? Okay, study up. We'll see you in a few hours. Oh and mom? Be cool, okay? Don't let everyone rush up to the door. I don't want Ana to be overwhelmed. Thanks. Bye."

Okay, thought Christian, next to tell Ana that we're going to discuss options with my mother during dinner with the whole family at Grey Manor. Suddenly, it sounded like a bigger deal than it had earlier. Ease into it, Grey. Don't dump the information on Ana all at once.

He gathered up the clothes from the study floor and threw them in the laundry room. Then he went up the stairs to wake Trev. He loved this part of his day. He and Trev were early risers so it was just the two of them. They'd talk for a bit before Trev woke up enough to get out of bed. Then Grey would help Trev hit his target at the toilet, always appreciated by Bess. Even though Ana was home now, Bess still did the majority of the housework. She needed the job. Everyone liked her and Gail could relax a little.

While Trev brushed his teeth, which he did well for a three-year-old, Grey drew his bath. Sometimes the two showered together but it was mostly for fun. Grey knew that he was going to miss mornings with Trev when he got to be too old to need his dad. The choosing of that day's apparel was always a drawn-out affair. Trev had specific taste, a bit natty for a little boy but that was because he was used to seeing his daddy in Armani and Tom Ford. Grey supposed that boys who watched their father's go off to their blue collar jobs wanted to dress like their dads, too.

"Guess what, Trev. Today we're going to Gramma's and Grampa Grey's House for dinner."

Trev was really excited about that; they had the bestest food. He couldn't wait to tell his mommy. Grey told him that mommy was still asleep and they should leave her be which Trev didn't think was the best idea but it was daddy's so….

Gail fed Trev a bowl of cereal to hold him over until dinner while Grey went to see if he could wake Ana. He needed to talk with her before Trev got to her. When he walked into the bedroom, he could see that Ana had taken over the entire bed. She was sprawled out in all directions with gorgeous legs outside the sheet and her hair splayed around. This had possibilities.

He locked the door behind him and hoped that Trev would play trains or something while daddy ravished his wife. He got undressed and got into bed, moving Ana around to make room. She mumbled and squirmed like she always did when she was just waking. He leaned on his elbow and looked at her until she opened her eyes. She smiled. His heart flipped.

"Good morning, my sleeping beauty. How are you feeling today?" He kissed her nose.

"Hmmmm," replied Ana.

"How very articulate of you," Christian laughed. "You're naked and so am I."

"Well, you can't go anywhere like that," Ana said as she burrowed closer to his warmth.

"Trev is having a bit of breakfast with Aunt Gail."

"And you have morning wood that needs chopping down. Is that what you're getting at?"

"Only if you're amenable to wake-up sex."

"Well, you're not bad looking. What did you say your name was?"

"Christian Grey. Multibillionaire who will buy you all the sweat suits you want if you agree to my terms."

"Lascivious terms, no doubt. You have the look of a bounder," Ana grinned as she lifted the sheet.

A couple of orgasms later, a shower and dressed, Christian pulled Ana down to sit on the bed. She looked confused. If he wanted more sex, why had they bothered with dressing?

"What's up, buttercup?"

"How would you feel about an early dinner at Grey Manor with the whole family?" He held his breath, feeling that he could have miscalculated badly.

"Sure, okay. I wish you'd told me before I got dressed. I can't wear sweats to a manor."

"I also thought that we could talk to my parents about baby options," still holding his breath.

"Yes, adoption and surrogacy. Did you talk to Gail?"

"Gail suggested those?" asked Grey, feeling his ego deflate a bit.

"Yes, yesterday before I visited you in your lair. What should I wear to a Grey dinner? Looks like casual dress-up?"

Grey watched his wife strip off her sweat suit and ordered his dick to deflate, just like his ego. Then he left to play with Trev for a while. At least Ana was pleased with the options he had offered. Okay, meeting with whole family, baby options, everything working out so far.

Whew.

CHAPTER 39 

Grey Manor was madly abuzz with anticipation of the return of Ana Grey to the fold. Even though Grace and Carrick had sternly urged their brood to "tone it down", it seemed impossible. Kate was the only person in the room who'd had many conversations with Ana and even she was thrilled beyond measure to see her friend. Mia was, as always, beyond calming. Elliot was trying to play it cool as was Carrick. Grace kept bursting into tears. She was trying so hard to "be cool" as her son requested but found it unsustainable for more than ten minutes at a time and that was only by distracting herself with chores and chastisement of the others for _their_ behavior.

Ava was excited as well but that was for the arrival of her best buddy, Trev. She kept telling baby Ross that she would share Trev with him if he didn't cry. Trev hated that. He couldn't understand why the baby would cry. What was wrong? He was certain that _he'd_ never made such a fuss when he was a baby.

When the car pulled up outside the front door, everyone crowded around the entrance.

"Why aren't they getting out?" said someone.

"Christian told us not to do precisely what we _are_ doing," Grace reminded the group. She shooed them back into the family room.

In the car, Ana was very nervous. She wanted to look appropriate and had struggled to find something in her closet to no avail. She'd lost so much weight and had regained very little. Even though Christian had had Caroline Acton, his personal shopper, send over replacement clothes in smaller sizes before Ana even left the hospital, he'd overestimated the size. Everything hung on Ana…some things to the point of falling off. She'd finally found a pair of skinny jeans and a bulky sweater. She thought the look too casual but Christian told her that she looked beautiful and he never lied to her so she'd tried to relax.

Tried.

"Okay, honey?" Christian asked. "Ready to go in?"

"Com' on, Mommy," urged Trev. Ana handed Trev off to Baxter who stood next to the car.

"Christian, I don't have breasts or a butt. My skinny jeans are loose and the sweater is all over me," she whimpered.

"If you lack breasts or a butt, what did I have my hands and mouth all over this morning?" Christian teased. "Besides, I would hope that my family would not be interested in your breasts and buttocks. If so, we're leaving early," he chuckled.

"All right. Here goes nothing. Or close to it," Ana sighed. Christian took her hand and led her to the door. It opened as they arrived and they were greeted with warmth by Grace and Carrick. Both reminded Ana of their names and asked permission to embrace her.

"We've waited so long for this day, Ana…to have you back with your family." And Grace teared up again. Ana found it hard to understand why they cared so much. She didn't find herself to be remarkable in any way. Why would they have missed her at all? Must be because Christian did and was unhappy. That was it, she told herself. They're just happy for their son.

Mia rushed up and threw her arms around Ana who almost fell over.

"You're Mia, aren't you?" said Ana. "You came to the hospital once but you were different then. Quiet."

"Yes, I'd received a stern warning from Christian to be calm, to not overwhelm you with my enthusiasm. But this is the real me. Do I make you crazy? I can try to be quiet again. It's just that I am so excited to see you and this time you're you again," Mia beamed.

Ana didn't know what Mia meant by being herself again but then The Ana seemed so long ago and far away. She'd barely been conscious. Little made sense to her. Mia certainly did not. So now, Ana smiled sweetly and told Mia that it was so nice to see her once again.

Next it was Kate's turn.

"Hello, Ana. It's so good to see you in person. May I hug you?" Of course, Ana agreed, as the two embraced. It hurt Kate deeply that Ana could never remember all those years when it was the two of them against the world. She tried so hard to be grateful for Ana's return but there would always be the regret. She looked at Christian over Ana's shoulder. She smiled at the only other person in the world who could understand how Kate felt.

Dinner was subdued a bit but, as always, Mia kept up a steady stream of babble. It pleased Christian to see that Ana's good-natured attention to Mia still remained. It also distracted Ana from noticing that everyone else was watching her. Whenever she looked up from her meal or from Mia, she looked only at Christian. She knew that he would always be looking at her so that didn't bother her.

After the meal was finished, Ana, Christian and his parents retired to talk privately in Carrick's study.

Ana's disappearance after her brief reappearance did not sit well with Mia, Kate and Elliot but the children were a good distraction. Ross was screaming and Trev was looking at him in disgust. Ava was trying to pet Ross into good humor without success. Trev decided to tell his parents that another child would not be welcome after all.

"I had a long talk with Dr. Delores Greene, children, and she will be able to connect you with a couple of excellent surrogates. Of course, taking into consideration your very public lives, you will personally have no contact with the surrogate nor she with you. You will not know her identity nor she yours. This will be somewhat difficult for both of you, I'm afraid. For nine months, you will wait for someone nameless to deliver your child."

"Christian," continued Carrick, "you will not be able to have Welsh vet the surrogate. You will have no control at all. I know that that will stick in your craw but you'll have to suck it up. Ana, do you think you can keep Christian in line for nine whole months?"

"Now see here, Dad," Christian began to object.

"It will actually be longer than that, Mr. Grey. I did some googling last night while Christian was sleeping. There will be tests needed. Since Christian had a vasectomy, a small surgery will be required to extract the necessary sperm…"

"What! A "small" surgery, you call it?" Christian exclaimed.

"Of course, it would be simpler to reverse the vasectomy and you'd be up and running in a few days. Then again, since you don't want to impregnate me the old-fashioned way, you'd have to redo the vasectomy and then wear condoms for several months until your sperm count is zero again," Ana explained nonchalantly.

"Several months!"

"And then there is always the chance that IVF doesn't work so rather than reverse the vasectomy, it would be better to "drain the pond", so to speak than…." Ana continued.

"Stop! Stop!" Christian cringed, jumping to his feet and pacing the room. "Do not think, Mrs. Grey, that you can con me into knocking you up in the usual way by making IVF sound so complicated and, and…painful. You are not getting pregnant ever again….not if I have to wear condoms the rest of our lives!"

"Condoms do fail, of course," smiled Ana. At this comment, Christian left the room, slammed the door and left Ana and his parents sitting, listening to the slamming of more doors. Ana just sighed while Grace and Carrick looked nonplussed.

"He feels rather strongly about this," Ana explained.

"Well, you certainly can't blame him, Ana," said Grace.

"But I'm fine now. Dr. Greene says there is every reason to believe that I can conceive and safely carry a baby to term."

"ARE YOU NUTS?!" Carrick and Grace yelled at the same time, looking completely aghast at their daughter-in-law. Ana had a sense of déjà vu.

"Of course, I would have a caesarean section the next time. It wouldn't be a walk in the park but it would be doable, don't you think?

"Ana, dear," said Grace as calmly as possible, "your last pregnancy was incredibly difficult for you. You don't remember how sick you were throughout. I'm rather surprised that Dr. Greene would even consider supporting a second pregnancy. Are you sure that she said it was safe?"

"Well, perhaps not quite but pretty close," Ana replied sheepishly.

Elliot popped his head in the door. "Dad, tell me that you didn't try to get Ana to sign a post-nuptial agreement. Chris is out here slamming every door in the house."

"No, no, Elliot, it's nothing like that," growled Carrick.

Elliot looked around the room, trying to get a hint as to the reason for his brother's fury. Shrugging, he closed the door and went back to trying to calm Ross. His son was a sensitive little guy who felt the crackle in the air. Ava, meanwhile, was beating the pants off Trev at Legos. She had a gift for building, just like her daddy. Trev was putting together simple two stories while Ava was constructing multiple levels going off in all different directions. Trev, who hadn't grown old enough to learn from society that building was a "male" job, attributed his cousin's acuity to simply having more Legos. Meanwhile, he laughingly told Kate that Ava didn't know how to bake cookies without burning them.

Christian eventually calmed down and decided to take up his mother's suggestion that he speak with Dr. Greene alone. He wouldn't let Ana bait him into anything deleterious to her health. He honestly did not believe that he nor she could survive another pregnancy. The ride home in the car was quiet but not unpleasant. Ana had finally conceded the need for someone else to carry their child and seemed to be at peace with her inability to grow a child inside her. It was something she'd wanted but not if it meant upsetting Christian. He was a wonderful husband and deserved peace and happiness. As soon as a surrogate was chosen by Dr. Greene, Ana and Christian would undergo necessary tests and begin IVF. If all went well, the surrogate would conceive within two months and within the year, the Greys would have another child…or, as sometimes happened, twins. That prospect rattled Christian some and Ana, too, if she were being honest. Still, people raised twins all the time and it didn't kill them. Just maybe their sex lives.

As soon as the Greys returned home, they pursued their usual late evening routine. Trev was bathed, teeth brushed, stories read and, lately, a sweet bedtime song from Ana. This new development was particularly endearing to Christian. He hadn't known that Ana could sing so well and, being musically inclined himself, so appreciated her lovely, dulcet tones as she sang lullabies to Trev.

Sometimes, Christian would play pop tunes on his Fazioli and Ana would sing along. He especially loved Sinatra, Dean Martin, Doris Day….any of the older crooners. He loved when Ana would sing Time After Time while leaning her head on his shoulder. He'd been considering a vow renewal ceremony sometime before the new baby arrived. Ana and he hadn't had a normal wedding and the vow renewal they'd shared at Kate's and Elliot's wedding was unexpected and not what they would have chosen for themselves.

Christian Grey wanted a real wedding. To his everlasting amazement, he wanted to do it all…everything that fiancés usually tried to duck. He wanted to choose colors, cakes, entrees, venues, songs, the wedding dance, even boutonnières.

Now, all he had to do was "drain the pond", successfully impregnate an unknown incubator and plan a wedding. Cinch.

CHAPTER 40

That night, even after making love for 2 hours, Christian found sleep wouldn't come. But then, it was always Ana who fell asleep so easily. Kate complained, openly, that Elliot would come and, well, go while she wanted to cuddle and talk. Grace would laugh and say that she'd given up trying to talk with her husband "after". Ana just looked perplexed. Christian would often lie awake, thinking. He couldn't turn his brain off, it seemed. Tonight, as often happened, he lay looking at Ana as she slept. His thinking usually had to do with how lucky he was to have her….how beautiful she was…how she'd clock him if he tried to wake her.

Tonight he was planning his proposal. He'd never asked Ana to marry him. He wanted to do that. So much of their life together had just happened. They wouldn't have met, wouldn't have married, wouldn't have _stayed_ married, wouldn't have had Trevelyan and on and on if fate hadn't just intervened and saved them from their own inertia. He quietly laughed to himself, picturing two little frustrated cupids tearing their curls out over their inability to involve him and Ana in romances.

He reached across Ana's body to pick up her laptop. He googled Cartier. He'd done a lot of business with them over the years. His subs were always angling for jewelry…jewelry that they probably sold after their contract was terminated. He'd thus become quite familiar with Cartier's inventory. Tonight he was looking for engagement rings. He had overheard Ana telling Kate and Mia that she was quite satisfied with her wedding band. She didn't want to be loaded down with bling, she said. He'd paid a couple hundred dollars for their two rings and, frankly, he thought they looked it. Still, he knew that Ana truly did not want a dazzling stone and yes, she would indeed be knocking it into things right up until the moment when she outright lost it.

In the catalog, Christian found a beautiful set that would suit them both. It was modestly priced, especially compared to the amounts he'd spent on the women he had once tied up and beaten. Perhaps he could design something with the help of the staff at Cartier. Yes, that would be tomorrow's job.

Now, how to spring all this on Ana. She'd never given the slightest hint that she wanted a proposal, an engagement, a party….anything. What if she found it all a chore? Well, he could forego the party since a large gathering would only overwhelm her anyway. Perhaps he could take her someplace lovely and private.

Then he realized that a wedding and it's preparations itself would overwhelm her. Ha!

Kate! Mia! Ana wouldn't have to do a thing besides show up. They could keep it an intimate affair…just family. The venue would be easy…Ambrosia Lane. It was time to reintroduce Ana to the home that he'd waited almost four years to show to her. It would be fun to surprise her all over again. First thing in the morning, before heading off to Cartier, he would discuss Ambrosia Lane with Elliot and Taylor.

Christian closed the laptop and leaned over Ana to set it down again. He could have just set it next to him on _his_ nightstand but he liked to reach over his wife's soft body. He went to sleep with a smile on his face.

As Christian did chin-up reps, the sun was beginning to brighten his workout room. There was a fully equipped gym in the Escala basement but with Ana in the hospital, he'd wanted to be close to Trev so he outfitted a room in the penthouse. He had awakened earlier today so he went to work on his muscles. Ana seemed to like them. Sometimes, she'd watch as he exercised not realizing that he knew that she was there. He'd show off for her. Today, he had plans that for once did not revolve around getting Ana back into bed.

He was in the shower when he felt her arms came around him from behind. She kissed his back and pressed her body against his, running her hands up and down his torso. He groaned as she caressed him and rubbed her breasts against his back. He whirled around and picked her up, wrapping her legs around his waist as he slid inside her. Then he turned and pressed her against the tiled wall. He looked into her eyes. Sometimes, they were so brilliantly blue that he was overcome. This was one of those times. He was unaware of thrusting into her as he fell deep into her gaze. His dick seemed to operate on autopilot. He covered her mouth with his as the tremors of his orgasm shook his body. Then, gently, he set her on her feet as he lowered himself to his knees and buried his tongue between her legs. She held onto his shoulders and cried out his name over and over. She was so delicious that he couldn't bring himself to stop tasting and licking and nuzzling until finally, her legs gave way and they both ended up on the shower room floor with the warm water raining down on them.

It was some time before Christian was recovered enough to stand, pick up his wife and turn off the shower. He wrapped her up in a towel and set her down on a stool in front of the mirror as he began to dry her hair.

"I need a haircut."

"No."

"It takes too long to dry now."

"My favorite chore. Hush, while I work."

He moved her hair off her neck so that he could kiss her nape. She hummed softly. He loved that. Finally, he finished with the hairdryer and began brushing her shining mahogany-burnished locks. It had taken many months of recovery for Ana's natural beauty to fully return. She was still too thin, he thought, and this worried him but now her face glowed, her eyes shone and her hair was thick and glossy. While he admired her beauty, mostly he loved that it meant that she was healthy again. Safe. Home.

"NO!"

"Yes. Dear."

"I want Cimminum Crunch!"

"You need protein. Cinnamon Crunch is not a healthy breakfast. You'll be sleepy by mid-morning. How about you can have a bag of grapes and peanuts to eat on the way to school?"

"Cimminum Crunch!"

Gail sighed and continued making scrambled eggs with a couple of green vegetables mixed in. The vegetables were the real objection, of course. Still, she had made it clear to Trev since he'd started eating "grown-up" food that sugar was going to be a once-in-a while treat. It didn't help that his doting grandparents believed in dessert for every meal. Mia, a trained pastry chef, filled the house with the sweetest scents every day…anything to lure her treasured niece and nephew to her den.

"There now. This is your breakfast. Take it or leave it. You're going to be mighty hungry in about an hour. You'll be eating your Legos an hour before lunch," Gail teased.

"Oh, Aunt Gail, you silly," laughed Trev. Still, he sat looking at his green and yellow breakfast with distaste.

"Eat. Now. And do not yell no at your Aunt Gail," the stern voice of his father made Trev jump a bit.

"But, but, Daddy…?"

"Eat. And be respectful of your Aunt Gail at all times, my little mister," Ana said as she kissed her son good morning.

Trev sighed. There was no winning this one.

"Mommy gonna eat pancakes?" Trev asked.

Crap. The kid had her. Christian, who himself objected to her pancake habit, chuckled.

He knew better than to say anything, however. Ana politely asked Gail if she, too, could have some of those delicious-looking eggs, complete with green stuff mixed in.

"What's on your schedule today?" Ana asked Christian.

"I have a meeting with Elliot and Jason and then some shopping to do."

"You? Shopping? I was sure that you thought that things just appeared. Beaming from store shelves to your shelves…like in that TV show you make me watch…Star Tracks."

"Star Trek. Occasionally I like to pick out my own socks. Your choices are questionable sometimes."

"Holidays require special holiday socks. Right, Trev?" Ana needed backup.

"Yeah, Daddy. Have to have socks with snowmen at Christmas."

"Suck up to Mommy all you want. You still have to eat all those eggs."

Trev sighed dramatically and finished his eggs. Gail kissed his forehead and handed him a small bag of grapes and peanuts. He beamed at her and her heart flipped. He could be a tough customer but she sure loved him.

Ana had been taking Trev to school for a few weeks now. It did her good to get out, see other parents and talk to the teacher. She usually stuck around for a couple of hours and even sometimes the whole morning to act as a teacher's aide. She enjoyed it and the teachers were grateful for the help.

She kissed Christian goodbye with the intensity of a woman going off to war. They then clung to each other for a few moments. The staff had gotten used to this but they still studied the floor.

"Mommy, you see Daddy again soon! We go now." Why were his parents always kissing and hugging? He'd asked his classmates if their parents carried on this way and got blank looks.

Ana and Trev waved goodbye as the elevator doors closed and Grey immediately whipped out his phone to call Elliot while yelling for Taylor. Time to plan.

CHAPTER 41

"Elliot, I have you on speaker and Taylor is with me."

"Well, good morning, bro. This is an unexpected pleasure," said Elliot.

"Why is it a pleasure?" asked Christian, not grasping that Elliot valued their connection…however fragile.

"Because I love you and you're my brother and you never call me. Anyway, I suspect that this is about business. You didn't call just to say hi," sighed Elliot.

"You've got me confused but never mind. What I'm calling about is Ambrosia Lane. It isn't ready yet, is it?" guessed Christian.

"No. We stopped all work when Trev was born and Ana went to sleep. You wanted every resource used to build The Ana as soon as possible. After that, any mention of the house on Ambrosia Lane and you'd shut down. It was just too painful for you to think about the life you'd planned for in that house.

"Anyway, I've got the details of what's been done and what still needs to be done. Why don't I send those over?"

"Thanks, Elliot. I'd like to get back to fixing up that place asap," Christian urged.

"You do understand that I'm not your personal contractor. I have other clients who also want their work done _asap_."

"Why don't you send over those details about the house and we'll have a beer together to discuss it?" Christian wasn't above bribing his brother with offers of companionship. Elliot wasn't above accepting bribes. He actually enjoyed Christian's snarly company and was always trying to get him to go for hikes, bike rides and such.

"Okay, see you soon."

"I wish that _I_ had a brother who wanted to spend time with me," chided Taylor. He'd watched Elliot's futile attempts to get closer to Christian for years. He found it hard to understand why Grey preferred studying spread sheets to getting a beer with his brother.

"Normally I'd tell you that you're fired for insubordination but I know that Ana would tell me the same thing. Elliot is a great guy and a great brother. Since the day my parents brought me home to Grey Manor, El's tried to get past my walls. I'm not a good brother to him," admitted Grey.

"You're not a bad brother, either. You invested in him and his business without hesitating. You've sent a lot of people his way, too. You pay for covert protection for your entire family."

"Yeah…but I'm the reason that they _need_ protection. When I started my company, I knew I'd be a very rich man someday but I didn't realize what it would cost me…and my family. And since you and Gail have become like family, I have to worry about my security chief. Maybe I should get a bodyguard for you as well," laughed Christian.

"Anyway, do you remember how we left things, security-wise, over at Ambrosia Lane?" he asked Taylor.

"Not bad, actually. The property itself, with the exception of the water front, is entirely protected. Sensors surrounding it, fencing in….although we need to review the software and probably have it updated. The purchase of the swampy area across from the house is complete but we still have to plant sensors there. The water access is our weakness. I'll get right on it."

"Thanks, Taylor. Anything else?"

"I'd rather that you didn't move your family into the house until all of the renovations have been done. There will be a small army of workmen coming and going. We'll have to vet all of them and keep watch on them. It's conceivable that someone would use their painting job

to case the house. Remember that Berkley Place estate last year?"

"I could tell you Ana's blood pressure on any particular day but…" Christian shrugged.

"Old mansion. Massive renovation. Family moved in and that very night, intruders got through their security and broke in. The family was lucky that they were only tied up and not killed. Turned out that the men who installed the sensors knew how to break in because they didn't connect the lines."

"Geez. Okay, anything you say. Make it your second priority, right after the day to day, of course."

"Will do. I'll get right on the sensors and cameras across the water."

"I do plan to use Ambrosia Lane soon for another project, however," Christian hinted. Taylor noted the mischievous gleam in Grey's eye and then rolled his own.

"How many times do you intend to marry that girl?" he smirked.

Christian roared with laughter, throwing his head back.

"Until she remembers the wedding, I guess. We're heading into Cartier's first this morning to pick out rings. Then I'll take her out to Ambrosia Lane to propose."

"Let me guess. You want your highly paid, well-trained security team to head out there to light a few hundred candles this evening," Taylor chuckled.

"It'll be good for them to familiarize themselves with the place anyway. Most haven't seen it, right? So, you can double-up on the duties. If any of them roll their eyes at lighting candles, snarl at them. They're all afraid of you anyway. I don't think that _I_ scare them anymore."

"They've all seen you starry-eyed over your wife. Kinda demystifies your reputation as a demon. Let's get those rings this morning so you can propose tonight."

"What's your hurry? It's _my_ proposal."

"I want to get it out of the way so I can get back to securing the place before you marry Ana _again_ and I have to follow you around on your honeymoon when I should be updating security. You will want to move right into Ambrosia Lane when you return, right?"

"Okay. Point made. Where should we honeymoon?" Grey wondered.

"You haven't done that before so the world is your oyster. Trev is going to be pissed, tho."

"Oh. Yeah. You'd better come up with a good excuse for us," Grey ordered.

Taylor gaped at his boss and then just shook his head in disgust. "Let's get going," he growled.

Two hours later, a very bored and weary Taylor was driving his boss home from a jewelry store. His passenger was grinning in the back seat…quite pleased with his purchase. He'd managed to spend an exorbitant amount of money on a ring that seemed dainty, elegant and inexpensive…at least to Ana's untrained eye. He'd have to warn all the females in the family to keep their oohs and aahs to themselves.

Taylor would now have to call his entire team together to meet at Ambrosia Lane to light candles leading from the terrace down to the boat dock. He would also have to find a candle supplier and buy a dozen lighters. Then he'd have to assign a couple of men to arrive at the house after the proposal to retrieve all the candles. A whole damn day filled with humiliating trivia…not to Grey, of course. Taylor had to remind himself that theirs was no longer a household dealing with heartbreak because the reason for its happiness was going to be proposed to….again. He could handle the trivia. He would never want to return to the days when he watched his boss struggle to keep breathing.

Grey was in his study, plotting his proposal, when his wife and child returned for lunch. He heard "Daddy!" and quickly tucked the ring into his desk drawer just as Trev bounced into the room. He could hear Ana talking to Gail, catching words like "exhausting" and "tantrum". Maybe, he thought, he'd just stay in his study for a while.

"Daddy, I not, I mean…I _was _not a good boy today," Trev sheepishly confessed. Ana had been working with Trev on speaking properly…using verbs, for instance. She asked him to listen to how adults talked and Trev had indeed been paying attention. Now, before his poor behavior was revealed to his father, was a good time to impress him with verbs.

"Oh, yeah? What did you do, Trev?" Christian narrowed his eyes at his son.

"I fight…I fighted with a boy."

"You _fought_ with a classmate?" Christian gasped. He was truly surprised because Trev was usually so good natured.

"Yep! I fi…I fought because Ben make…made me," Trev asserted firmly.

"Well, that much is true," Ana agreed, as she came into the room. "That Ben is quite the little instigator," she sighed. Trev was puzzled. "What insgator?"

"Go eat your lunch now," Ana ordered, pointing out the door. This confession was going better than Trev had expected so he made for the kitchen before things took a turn.

"What I meant to say was that Ben _baits_ people. He is always provoking at least one child to pick on another. Sometimes he works the entire class into a mob mentality and they all go after one poor kid. That was his modus operandi today. You should see this little mobster go to work. He goes from child to child, whispering, until they're all worked up about something. Today he convinced the entire group that a particularly shy girl was a witch and that they should all point at her and yell to protect themselves from being "spelled"."

"Good grief. What was the teacher doing all this time?" Christian wanted to know.

"Like I said, Ben is sneaky. He approached each child while the teacher was tending to another. Suddenly, the whole class is staring at tiny Julie and pointing their fingers at her. She started to cry and our darling little fellow ran over to hug her. Then the whole class began yelling "witch" and Ben was egging them on until Trev stood up and shoved Ben, knocking him to the floor. The room went quiet instantly because hitting is strictly forbidden. The teacher had to put Trev in the corner and I had to go along with her because I don't want Trev to think that hitting is okay but I sure wanted to sock that kid myself. He was bawling like a newborn and rubbing his butt. I'm sure that he'll tell his mother about our little brawler and I hope she calls us to complain because then I can tell her what I think of her parenting skills."

Ana was really wound up…gesturing and raising her voice and turning red. Christian was so turned on that he couldn't help shutting the door with one hand and pulling his wife's mouth to his with the other.

"Lord, you're **hot** when you're hot," Christian moaned while he nuzzled her neck. Ana moaned as well and leaned into Christian with her hands on his chest.

"Lock the door, Christian, while I take off my panties," Ana whispered. Grey was quick to obey, locking the door and unzipping his pants, turning to find Ana beaconing him with her arms as she sat on his desk. This wasn't the first time Christian had fucked on his desk but the other times had been with subs…just quickies. As always, everything with Ana was new and different and exciting. The subs had just been stress relievers when he'd been working for hours.

They were as quiet as they could manage. As they came, they locked lips to muffle their screams.

"Oh, Ana," Christian groaned, "what you do to me. I don't just want you, I need you. I can never get enough of you. I want more, always more."

"Take all you want. I'm yours. I love you so, my Christian," Ana breathed out as tears lit up her eyes.

The moment was so intense, so filled with longing that Christian very nearly purposed right then. Instead he bit his lip and took a deep breath to calm himself. Finally, he stood up, zipped up his pants and helped Ana to her feet.

"There is something that I've been intending to show you. You've seen it before but you don't remember it. So, tonight is date night with your husband. We'll start with dinner at the Mile High Club, okay?"

"Shall I wear that pink dress you like so much?" asked Ana.

"Baby, wear your sweat suit if you like. To me you'll still be the most beautiful woman in the room."

Ana laughed. "Can you imagine the picture in the Seattle Nooz tomorrow. The horror, the horror!"

"We don't subscribe to the Nooz."

"Gail does. She keeps me informed. It's pretty funny, sometimes. You're the closest thing to a celebrity that this town has so the Nooz tries to have your face on the front page at least once a week. They photo shop _a lot_…putting together a shot of me getting out of a car and you appearing to be getting out behind me with your hand on my butt! It is so obviously fake that it's hilarious."

"Maybe we could do the real thing tonight," smirked Christian.

"Let's remember that we're parents. We're respectable."

"I don't want to be respectable. I want to be scandalous and filthy and all over my wife."

"Mommy, Daddy! You got to eat lunch!" Trev hollered from the kitchen. Ana and Christian sighed and smiled. Time to be parents, again.

CHAPTER 42

Dinner at the Mile High was delicious, of course, and the reaction to the Greys' presence was predictable. Women drooling over Christian and giving the snake eye to Ana. Men's jaws dropping as Ana glided across the room to a booth by the window. She was especially gorgeous tonight, Christian thought, in her pink dress with the lights shimmering off her hair. He held her hand as they entered and Christian smiled to himself as all eyes turned to Ana. He was so proud to be seen with her. Ana, as usual, was talking to her husband and didn't notice anyone else. Also, as usual, she had to endure the gauntlet of jealous women when she visited the women's lounge. As soon as she passed through the front room into the lavatory, the talk began.

"The man is dripping money. Can't she dress better than that?"

"Walmart is my guess. And her hair, nothing special about that do. I've never seen her at the Elite Salon. I'll bet she cuts it herself."

"Or drops in at Cheap Cuts at the mall," laughed another. Everyone joined in. And so it went. Comments about her. Salacious remarks about her hot husband and what they'd like to do to him. Snarky digs at their own husbands and their shortcomings compared to Christian Trevelyan Grey. And, of course, threats to take knives to their men's dicks if they didn't pick up their jaws and stop staring at Ana. The women pretended to be baffled at the attraction. Ana was so ordinary!

As Ana washed her hands, she looked in the mirror. She had to agree with them. She thought she was nothing special in the looks department but her husband thought that she was beautiful and that was all that mattered. Walking back through the lounge area, all grew quiet until the door was closing behind Ana…then it began again. The women seemed to find endless things to say about the woman who'd stolen Grey right out from under them.

Back at their table, Christian gazed out the window as he waited for Ana. What did women do in restrooms? he wondered. Whatever it was, it certainly occupied a lot of time. Ana was faster than most, however. He saw solitary husbands all over the room. In the reflection of the glass, he saw their heads shoot up as Ana came back into the restaurant. Their eyes followed her as she hurried back to Christian, kissing him on his cheek as she sat down. She and Christian were one of those couples who sit next to each other rather than opposite. They cuddled as they ate their dessert. They frequently kissed each other's cheeks, noses, heads, hands. It was, the men thought, a disgusting spectacle.

As they finished their meal, Christian had had enough of the circus. He was anxious to get out to Ambrosia Lane. Being the owner of the club had its privileges. Not bothering with a check, for one. However, he always tipped, big. Before Ana, he hadn't ever done that. Hadn't even considered it. She'd lectured Christian about this once all the way home while he groped her all the way home. He even found her nagging to be hot.

"I can't decide whether you should keep your eyes closed or open," Christian said as they approached the lane. It was still light enough to see clearly.

"Open. I want to see everything. Gosh, we're going far, aren't we?" Ana noticed. Christian liked to watch Ana whenever they went someplace new to her. Her fascination with the world fascinated him in turn. As Taylor veered left onto the secluded lane, Ana sat up even straighter.

"I wish I was sitting in the front seat. Can we stop? Taylor, please stop the car." Ana quickly exchanged the back seat for the front passenger seat, leaving Christian sitting alone and Taylor trying hard to not laugh out loud. Christian looked stricken. What was wrong with this picture?

Ana remarked on everything as they drove down the lane. The way the trees on either side formed a canopy above them. The fancy iron gates that magically opened before them and closed behind them as they drove onto the Grey property. The single lane curving deeper into the forest as they went along and, finally, the huge house they drove up to at the end of the road. Ana hopped out, not waiting for anyone to open her door. She stood, looking up in awe at the mansion before her.

Christian slipped his arm around her waist and watched her face. It was clear than she liked what she was looking at.

"What is this, Christian?" She was looking, of course, at the back of the house with its lineup of garage doors. Then she saw the pretty stone steps, now all repaired, leading to the back door.

"Can we go up there?" she asked. "Are we expected? Who are we visiting?" All this while she ran to the steps. Looking back at Christian, smiling as he nodded and indicated that she should keep going.

The side of the house was charming…with its stone path, cozy wooden entry way and pretty door. It was ajar so Ana walked in. Passing through the mudroom, her head whipping back and forth, looking side to side, she walked into the kitchen. It was already thoroughly renovated and clean. Taylor had made his team of expert agents dust everything. He had to tell them how to dust properly after he himself learned from Gail. It was easy to imagine what the agents thought about _that_ assignment.

Ana was entranced by everything she saw. She was so quiet but Christian wasn't worried. She'd loved the house before her coma. She would love it now. She frowned a bit at the glorious marble staircase. He could read her mind….too slippery…Trev could fall. The elevator was yet to be installed. She whirled around as she took in the gracious entry hall and then the main parlor. She turned to Christian with a questioning look.

"Why is the front door in the back of the house?"

Christian smiled. It was the same question she'd asked almost four years ago. He felt a sudden pain in his chest as he realized again all the time they'd lost. Taking a breath, he told her that the house was very old. That it had been built when this area was very far from the nearest town and there was no road. Indeed, there were no cars. Everyone came up the Sound in their boats and, thus, the front of the house faced the water. This was when it was simply a summer house for the rich.

"But the garages?" puzzled Ana.

"Added later, along with the road and the cars. The basement was converted to house all the vehicles." Christian told her. As he said all this, Ana first noticed the doors leading to the patio. It had now grown quite dim and the candled path was shining as it lead to the water.

Ana looked to Christian and smiled, holding out her hand. Together, they walked the stone path to the boathouse and stood there in the candlelight, admiring the lights of the city in the distance.

"Oh, Christian, this is so amazing. I have this sense of déjà vu." Did she really remember? Christian looked at her in wonder.

"You have been here before, Ana."

"I have? When?"

"Before."

"Before," Ana repeated. "You brought me here and I loved it then, too. Didn't I?"

"Yes, you did. It needed a lot of fixing up but we were trying to get it all done before Trev was born so that we could move in with him. We're putting in an elevator so the stairs are mostly decorative. We'll block them until Trev is older."

Christian had to swallow back a choking feeling before he continued.

"I haven't been back since you gave birth to Trev. I just let it decay some more. It meant nothing to me without you. Until you woke up, I never gave it a thought. It hurt too much. Everything hurt. I look back now and I wonder how I made it through. I lived for Trev and for my nights with you at The Ana. I held on to your sleeping body for dear life. Twice you went into cardiac arrest and the monitor showed little to no brain activity for several days. They wanted me to unplug everything, to let you go. I couldn't do it. I begged you to come back. I pleaded with you to stay with me, even if always asleep. Each time you did. When you began to breathe on your own, I rejoiced. I believed that you could hear me and that you were trying to come to me." By now, tears were flowing down Christian's cheeks and Ana's heart was breaking for him.

"I don't know if I could have been so brave for you, my love. I'm so sorry that I put you through all that. You grieve for those lost years, don't you?" Ana asked, as she held his face between her two hands.

"Yes. I always will. As grateful as I am for _now_, I will never forget those years. And, Ana, I will always grieve for the time we shared that you'll never remember. I'm alone in that, Ana. Those memories are only mine and that hurts. The memory of the night we married in that tiny chapel in Las Vegas. The memory of the night we married at Grey Manor just so the family could be there. The generosity of Kate and Elliot in sharing their wedding day with us.

"Ana, we married twice and those days are only mine now. I want to have a wedding day memory that we both share. I brought you out here to show you the house and to ask you again to be my wife, my lover, all our days."

Christian knelt before Ana and opened the little Cartier box he'd pulled from his jacket pocket. Ana looked at the jewel encrusted band and at the band she'd been wearing since that night in Las Vegas.

"I thought that I'd never want to take this off but now I do. I realize that only you remember giving me this band. I, too, want to share our engagement memory."

Christian lifted the band from the box and removed the old band from Ana's hand. He slipped the diamond band onto her finger and kissed her hand. Ana dropped to her knees on the hard wooden dock. It didn't matter. She didn't feel discomfort. She was happy. In her mind, this was the first time, the only proposal she'd ever have, the only time she would ever say yes to any man. _ This_ proposal they shared. This memory was _theirs._

They kissed sweetly and Christian helped Ana to her feet. They stood with their arms around each other, silent. This moment belonged only to them.

Except that it didn't.

CHAPTER 43

Someone else was at the boathouse that night. Listening. Seething. Grey couldn't have her. She belonged to _him_. He'd waited a long time for her and soon his patience would give out. Soon they would be together and she would remember that she was his. He silently laughed at all the security men lighting candles and then, later, removing all the candles. All the time he was hidden and watching. The fools never suspected that he was right there all along. He watched as the happy couple walked back up the path. It was all right, he told himself. Calm down. Soon. When security finished up and left the property, he completed his preparations. The time would come and he would be ready. Ana would be relieved and happy to be with him as fate had intended. She didn't really want to be with Grey. That was why she'd gone into the coma in the first place…because she needed to get away from Grey and she didn't know how.

Now he needed only to wait for his opportunity. It would come because it had to come. He had to save her from this man he knew to be a monster…who lied to her time and again…who was even trying to pass off a boy he'd had with another woman as _her_ son in an effort to tie her to him. Well, he wouldn't get away with it.

It hadn't been easy all these years watching the woman he loved being abused. Grey had so much money and influence that he could fool everyone or pay them off. That fake family of his helped him, too.

It wasn't hard to understand why she'd wanted Grey in the first place. She'd always been weak. She'd always needed a strong hand. Grey had practiced being dominant for years. He'd watched the subs come and go until Grey needed to present a new image to the public. People were beginning to question his private life. The media was paying closer attention and reporters were investigating. Grey had to find a way to throw them off his scent so he looked for a malleable young female who would do as he said and who would impress the public. Ana was perfect…until she grew up a little…just enough to wonder about the truth of things. So, Grey clamped down, more and more, until Ana panicked. She wasn't strong enough to leave him and his henchmen so she allowed her mind to collapse and slip into a safe, dark place that Grey couldn't reach.

What he didn't understand, at first, was why she had returned. Then he learned that she came back without her memory…thus giving her a reason to go on with Grey…but it was only a matter of time before she would once again see the prison walls Grey had built around her. This time he would get her away from Grey before she became so desperate to escape that she might even end her physical life, not just her mental one. He'd waited too long last time to save her. He'd expected too much of her. She couldn't do it on her own or she would have come to him. So, this time he'd come to her. She might be confused initially but she would gradually come around. She would be happy and love him all the more for pushing her in the right direction. They would have their own family far away from this place and these lying people. It would be as it was always meant to be.

He felt his heart lifting from the dark place it had long dwelt. Life was going to be wonderful.

CHAPTER 44

At Sunday brunch, Christian and Ana announced their engagement. Everyone rejoiced. Everyone understood how important it was because this was the first engagement and the first time the couple would have a wedding that they could both look back on through the coming years.

There was the expected round of "Again!?" shouted by the family before Kate and Mia announced their intention to take charge of all things nuptial. Ana readily agreed, happy to be relieved of the chore of planning her own wedding. She asked only that the guest list be kept to family and closest friends. She also insisted on chocolate cake with cream cheese frosting…Christian's favorite. He beamed at her consideration and kissed her temple.

"Is that a new ring, Ana?" asked Grace. Again, as expected, Christian had to endure a round of fake dismay at the diminutive size of the diamond band, as Ana defended him.

"It is perfect. I know that Christian would have preferred to buy me some Gibraltar-sized rock but he restrained himself and bought, instead, what he knew that I'd really want. I love it!"

Mia pretended to put a loupe to her eye to inspect the band. Then, gasping, she teased her brother that he could have at least purchased real diamonds instead of zirconia. As he growled at her, she whispered that she would never let on to Ana the amount of money she knew that Christian had actually paid for the ring.

"Thanks, Sis. She'd keep it in the box for the next 50 years if she knew. Please see to it that no one else gives me away," Christian smiled as he kissed her cheek in gratitude and affection. It killed Mia to keep secrets and this was a big one. That she would take it to her grave truly impressed her brother.

Trev and Ava looked puzzled throughout the to-do. Ava muttered something to Trev who just shrugged.

"Mommy, I thought you and Daddy _are_ married. Daddy always say 'wife'," Trev challenged his parents.

"While Mommy was sleeping, she forgot a lot of things, Trev," explained Grampa Carrick. "One of those things was her wedding day. Besides, this way you get to be there to watch. Most kids don't get to watch their parents get married."

He meant well, did Grampa Carrick, but this comment only got Ava going…demanding that _her_ parents remarry. Refusals by her father to "go through _that_ again" brought forth tears from Ava and dirty looks from Kate.

"Well, Elliot, I guess we all know what you're going to spend the rest of the day doing," laughed Christian, having the sense to _whisper_ this comment in his brother's ear.

"I don't suppose," Elliot whispered back, "that you have any bright ideas about how I get back into my wife's good graces…especially since this is all _your_ fault."

"Buy her a rock. Jewelry seems to work with other women. Can't help it if mine is frugal," teased Christian.

"I wonder if Ana knows about "conflict diamonds". You know," said Elliot, "blood" diamonds?"

"You little blackmailer," snarled Christian, "I'm way ahead of you. These diamonds are all recycled from a century's-old broach. Now, how should I repay your blackmail attempt, eh?"

"All right, all right…I won't mention a word about the real cost of this trinket," swore Elliot.

"Geez. You, too? Please warn Kate," Christian asked.

As the rest of the family inspected the ring and offered wedding ideas, Christian stood watching Ana. She turned to him at one point and winked before turning back to the continued discussion about her ring. Grey had the uneasy feeling that Ana was on to him.

Brunch extended into lunch which moved unto supper which lead to sitting around in the family room in cozy little clumps of Greys. It was the closest the family had been in years. Actually, Grace observed later to Carrick, since just before Ana had given birth to Trev and then disappeared from their lives. She sat quietly against Carrick the whole evening, watching her loved ones and managing to hold back tears. She thought back to the way it had all begun with a surprise fake wedding, angry suspicions about Ana's motivations that kept them all apart for so long and almost scuppered Kate's and Elliot's engagement and a long period of estrangement between the elder Greys and their children. Thank god, Grace thought, that I came to my senses after the Coping Together Ball. It shouldn't have taken all that time and the word of other people for us to come to our senses.

It was hard for Grace to think about all the wasted time. Afraid of being overwhelmed by emotions, she excused herself to get something from the kitchen. Once alone, she allowed tears to flow as she busied herself at the sink.

She felt strong arms slip around her and thought that Carrick had followed her. She turned and found herself against Christian's chest. She sniffled and Christian held her close.

"Ana thought that you were upset. She told me to come in. I thought that she imagined it but I should know by now that Ana is highly intuitive. What is this all about, Mom?"

"Oh, I was just looking around at my family and all the love we shared and how I almost ruined it all. It took us so long to accept Ana for the treasure that she is and I guess I just got weepy."

"I understand, Mom. Sometimes, I look at Ana sleeping next to me and _I_ get weepy thinking of all the time lost…time I can never get back either. We just have to concentrate on the beautiful life ahead of us and forgive ourselves for time lost either due to our own fault or fate's.

"Remember, you have to get Ana…and me, for that matter….through the difficult road ahead. Signing onto a surrogacy and waiting it out. We're going to be nervous wrecks, you know. We'll need our rock to see us through.

"Okay, ready to come out and bid us goodbye? Ana is nodding off and Trev is getting growly. Have to get my little family home. It's been a big day." Christian kissed his mother's head and led her back to the family room.

Hugs and laughter and crying kids and finally everyone was gone…leaving Grace and Carrick to cuddle together on the couch.

"Just think, Grace, in a year or so we'll have a fourth little Grey holding court at Sunday Brunch. We certainly are blessed, aren't we?"

"We certainly are, Cary. And with what we've been through, it's amazing that we think so!" laughed Grace.

Ana and Christian packed Trev into his car seat behind them as Christian took the wheel. To keep Christian alert, Ana kept up a conversation about this, that and the other. She had such an interesting take on things that she could always get Christian laughing. He never used to laugh. In fact, he could recall only a few times in his life that he'd laughed before Ana came along and they were all to do with Elliot screwing up somehow. He'd have to make a real effort to spend more time with his brother, he told himself.

Ana turned around frequently to check on Trev….and to look nervously at the car traveling a distance behind theirs. She knew it was the same car because one headlight was brighter than the other. She said nothing to Christian, fearing that he'd speed.

As they drove along the freeway, Christian made a sharp right unto an exit leading down unto the surface roads. Ana looked at him in surprise.

"What are you doing?"

"Oh, just taking my time. No hurry, is there?"

Ana looked back again. She could no longer see the car following them. She wondered if Christian had noticed it. She leaned back against her seat and draped her arm across the back of Christian's seat, gently massaging his neck. His muscles were tense. Her eye wandered to the outside mirror with its slightly sinister message that 'objects in mirror are closer than they appear'….the car with the bad headlights was close.

Ana's heart began to pound. Nonchalantly, she reached back to wiggle Trev's toe. The car was following them. Now she was sure of it. She knew, without asking, that Christian was, too. He was zipping along the street, making sharp right and left turns. In the mirror, the car was closer, she knew. She put her hand back on her husband's neck, trying to calm them both.

A fork in the road approached…one way up unto the freeway again, the fastest way home. Christian appeared to be going straight until the last second when he veered suddenly up the entry to the freeway and accelerated to pull in front of a semi-trailer. When Ana next looked, the car was no longer in sight.

The rest of the way to Escala was clear. Christian moved the car quickly into its stall in the garage and watched as the door closed behind them. He brought Ana's hand around to the front and kissed her palm.

"You probably shouldn't massage my neck, love. You risk my either falling to sleep or becoming too aroused to continue driving," he smiled. They kissed before getting out of their respective doors. Christian unlatched his son and carried him to the elevator. In the cab, he put his arm around his wife, rather more tightly than with just affection. When they alighted in the foyer, he handed Trev to Ana and said that he had to check in with Taylor.

In the security office, he and Taylor checked the CCTV tapes of the street. He watched the tape as he and Ana pulled off into the garage. He watched the empty street and breathed a sigh of relief….until the street wasn't empty…until a car with its headlights off came crawling down the street and past Escala, its front plate obscured by something dark. A switch of the camera view showed it continuing to the east. There was no rear license plate.

The car itself was a dark nondescript four-door sedan. Even after Taylor would manage to determine the make and year, it would really tell them nothing…except that the car probably hadn't been stolen. It belonged to someone who wanted to conceal their identity.

When Christian suggested that possibly it was only a couple of kids having fun, Taylor's failure to immediately agree sent a shiver up his spine. It wouldn't be the first time since his first million that Grey had been threatened but, now, with a wife and child, he no longer could take threats lightly.

"Ian Hyde?" he said to Taylor. Taylor shrugged.

"It's been a long time since I killed his mother, sir…but remember, the Hydes always blamed Ana for Doreen's behavior. And you, too, I suppose. It may just be that Ian is lurking for the sake of lurking. He may have even intended that you notice him following. The car stayed with you but didn't do anything truly threatening. I'll look into whether the Hydes even own a gray sedan. Let's reserve judgement until we know more."

Taylor was correct, Grey thought. After all, the threats against his family were many and varied. It wasn't necessarily the Hydes haunting them. He hated living like this but he was doing everything he could to deal with the threats. They were just part of his life, his family's life.

Just recently, a spiteful woman had accosted Kate at the grocery store. Called her names, made idle threats. Kate had tried to ignore her until the woman grabbed a melon out of her hand and made to throw it at her. Kate had picked up a tomato and smashed it into the woman's face. Elliot was so proud of his wife.

And scared. He didn't let on, however. He knew that his little brother had coverts on everyone and, had the situation escalated, Jackson would have stepped in to protect Kate. Still, he was grateful that his wife was such a spitfire. God, he loved that about her. Since Ana had come back into Kate's life, the old Kate was returning. The last time he came into the house with dirty boots, he'd had a mop thrown at him. If the children hadn't been playing in the next room, he wouldn't have taken his wife right there on the kitchen table. He did grab her and kiss her ferociously, making her giggle. Then he took the mop, saluted his commander and wiped up the mud he'd trailed into the house.

CHAPTER 45

As Grey walked back into the great room, he saw Ana showing off her engagement ring to Trev and Gail. Trev liked it. He wanted one just like it, as a matter of fact. He did not care to accept anyone's explanation that it wasn't a toy. It was shiny. Ana let him try it on for a moment which turned out to be a mistake. Trev threw a fit when he had to give it back. He demanded to know how old he had to be before he could have a "gagement ring". Could he have one for his birthday or Christmas? Told that only girls received such rings, Trev really blew a gasket. Like most children, he had an innate sense of things having to be fair. Not only would he never get a ring for himself, _he_ had to buy one for the girl. His mind was blown. Who had invented such an arrangement? Sheer madness. His anger grew into a tantrum….a rare behavior for Trev.

"Whoa!" exclaimed Ana. "Somebody is very tired indeed. Time for bed, I think."

By now, Trev was howling his displeasure and only his father's strong arms could hold him as they climbed the stairs. Grey suggested to his fiancée that it might be better if she stayed below while Christian put his son to bed. Ana, after all, was wearing the offending object.

Ana and Gail sat on the couch as the drama continued upstairs. It was some time before Trev wore himself out protesting. He refused a story unless he could wear the ring to bed. His father's firm veto of this idea only led to more yelling. Ana and Gail could only shake their heads in dismay. Neither had ever seen a display like this out of Trev but, Gail noted, she'd warned Christian that one day Trev would stun him with a temper tantrum. He couldn't be a perfect little boy forever.

"NOT FAIR!" "NOT FAIR!" Trev was still yelling as Christian came down the stairs.

"THAT IS _ENOUGH_, YOUNG MAN. STOP NOW OR NO TRIP TOMORROW! UNDERSTAND?!"

"okay, daddy," came the small reply after several moments.

Christian threw himself on the couch and his head into Ana's lap with a dramatic and weary sigh.

"What trip did you trade for peace in the household, dear?" Ana asked as she tried to contain her laughter.

"I promised we'd take him out to see the house on Ambrosia Lane and he could pick out his bedroom," Christian said sheepishly.

"Okay. So we don't have to go to Disneyland, then," Ana giggled.

"Trev hasn't learned about that place yet. I dread the day he does," groaned Christian.

Gail bid them goodnight and retired for the evening.

"I don't think I handled that well, Ana. I shouldn't allow my son to bargain with me."

"Well, it's too late to rethink it now. Next time you can use the "because I said so" that Kate told me about. She said that she uses it for every argument with Ava. She figures that she has to prep Ava for the teen years. Gail said that she warned you and you didn't believe that your perfect little boy would ever be unreasonable."

"Well, I was hoping that he'd be just like you, sweetheart," smiled Christian.

"Meaning what?" Ana said, jutting out her chin and folding her arms in front of her.

Oh, crap, thought Grey. I think I just stepped in it.

"I only meant that you're so easy to deal with," he tried…but judging from the look on Ana's face, he'd only made it worse.

"I mean that you're so amiable, dearest." He batted his beautiful gray eyes innocently at her.

"You mean that I'm a push-over and a yes-woman," Ana smirked.

"Oh, lord," sighed Christian. "Certainly not at the moment, you aren't." The man just didn't know when to quit.

Ana pushed his head off of her lap, almost knocking him to the floor. Then she stood and marched off to the bedroom. He followed, trying to think of something to say that would get him out of the doghouse. "Ana, baby, sweetie," wasn't working.

When the bedroom door slammed in his face and he heard the lock turn, he could only stare in shock. He was still standing there like that when he heard giggling and the lock turning to open. Furiously, he flung the door open and glared at his very amused wife. She continued to giggle as he bore down on her until he had her up against the wall. She truly tried but, as always when her husband had hissy fits, all she could do was laugh. He was helpless before her and she knew it.

Ana touched her lips with one finger as she used to do at The Ana when she wanted her reward for blinking. Christian melted before her and kissed her gently…just as he used to. Then he picked her up, carried her into the bathroom and under the shower as she shrieked her objection to being dowsed.

And day was done.

CHAPTER 46

The familiar pounding on the door. The familiar yelling of "Mommy" and "Daddy". The familiar deflating of amorous feelings and Christian's dick.

Christian buried his face in Ana's neck and groaned his displeasure at the loss of a golden moment with his wife.

"Your son wants something. Don't we have a nanny?" Christian growled. Ana smiled sweetly at him. She shared his disappointment but…well….that's parenthood. She gently eased herself out from under him and reached for her robe. Christian flipped over unto his back and pulled up the covers as Trev came racing into the room.

"It time to get up! UP!" Trev demanded. From his almost four year-old point of view his parents spent far too much time in bed. He couldn't understand this. He didn't want to go to bed and he wanted to get going on the day as soon as possible. Why were his parents always so tired? They slept far too much. He hated naps and his parents loved them. Huh?

"Good morning, my little man," Ana cooed at Trev. "Mommys and Daddys get worn out from taking care of their little boy so they need their sleep. Understand?"

Nope. Trev didn't consider himself to be any trouble and he took care of himself. He could brush his teeth and get dressed and even, of late, tie his shoes. Why, he was easy to care for. Still, his parents were old so perhaps they wore out faster.

He heard his Aunt Gail calling him to breakfast so he kissed his Mommy and flew out of the room as quickly as he'd flown in. Just as quickly, Christian jumped up, locked the door and pulled his wife into his arms, falling into the bed. His dick had instantly re-inflated at the sound of Ana's sweet voice talking to their son. God, just about anything she did turned him on.

Now she was moaning as he had some breakfast of his own. She grabbed hold of his hair and pushed his head more tightly into that wonderful place between her legs. What that man could do, she thought. He, in turn, was even more aroused by her hands in his hair. And, then, by her whimpering of his name as she came. That was his signal to slip inside her, his favorite place in the world to be. She was the softest, warmest, most peaceful place on earth…right up to the moment when a tsunami swept him away.

He enveloped her in his arms and pulled them onto their sides. They just looked at each other. It never got old. He brushed her hair back from her face and gazed into her eyes. For the millionth time he marveled at his luck. Did all men love their wives this much? He knew that his older brother…. a big, loveable lug of a man…was probably more capable of expressing emotion and, for that matter, feeling it than a man like Grey. Christian had never thought he had much to give to anyone yet the longer he knew Ana, the stronger his feelings, the more his need of her.

"What are you thinking about, Christian?" whispered Ana as she beheld her adored husband.

"Oh, just the usual. You," he smiled. "Wondering how you always manage to glow. I've never known another woman to glow like you do. You blind me."

Ana snuggled closer until she and Christian were nose to nose and forehead to forehead. But, of course, there was still parenthood. They sighed and separated long enough to get into the shower. The usual ritual of washing each other's hair always made Christian feel overwhelmed with a sense of wellbeing…just as Christian's insistence on drying Ana's hair made her feel so cared for. She, of course, had no memory of her trainwreck of a childhood. Perhaps other little girls loved the way their mommies braided their hair or put it in a ponytail. Something about caring for a child's hair always makes children feel good. Trev loved when his daddy washed his hair and now he loved when his mommy did. Ana didn't know about these things. She didn't miss her mother….or her father. In this way, her loss of memory was a good thing.

Trev was having his usual sulk about green things showing up in his scrambled eggs. Poor Gail had endeavored to find a green vegetable, _any _green vegetable, that would suit Trev's palate, to no avail. Now she was moving unto other colors…red and yellow bell peppers were acceptable but Christian insisted on green as well. Today they were having lunch out so Gail was looking forward to the lull in the vegetable wars. Plus, Taylor was working at home today so they could have a grown up lunch. Taylor swore that his teeth were going soft from lack of use. Too much mac and cheese. Grey and Trev could eat it every meal and Ana seemed to take no notice of food in general. So, today Gail was going to grill steak on the balcony along with potatoes baked in tinfoil.

Grey's whole family was anxious to see the Ambrosia Lane house and had been angling for an invitation so it was going to be a fun afternoon. Grace was packing a huge picnic lunch, courtesy of Margaret, the housekeeper, and Mia. Carrick was sneaking in a bottle of his best bourbon for him, his sons and Mia's beau. Trev was going to pick out his new bedroom and show it to Ava. It was an all too normal day in Seattle…rainy…so Ryan was going to build a fire in the grand parlor and everyone would gather on the floor. Ana was looking forward to seeing baby Ross. It gave her an idea of what Trev must have been like while she was sleeping away his infancy.

Trev had conceded his mother's ownership of the shiny ring. Now he was excited to know that he would be the ring bearer at his parent's latest wedding. Kate and Mia had been planning and were having a blast. They hadn't been at the first wedding. The second one had been done on the fly. But this one, this one was going to be all theirs….tho' of course, Ana and Christian were welcome to play bride and groom. Currently the debate was whether to have the ceremony at Grey Manor or Ambrosia Lane.

Christian and Ana ate a quick breakfast and gathered up Trev, bidding goodbye to Gail and Taylor. They decided to stop at the gourmet ice cream shoppe that Ana had found with Gail and buy a quart in every flavor. Their new kitchen had a huge freezer so why not fill it up?

As Levin pulled the SUV out of the garage, the usual gathering of paparazzi flew into a frenzy. Pictures, pictures that would pay well, were to be made of the golden family heading out. Word whipped through the media grapevine that the Greys were on the move. Levin was used to this but still didn't like it. He radioed Johnson and Kelly to bring up the rear as he moved down the avenue.

"I wish the Kardashians would move to Seattle," griped Ana.

"Wouldn't be good for their tans," smirked Christian.

When the whole family piled out at the ice cream shoppe, the photographers swooped in on them. Trev, thankfully, was too focused on dessert to pay much attention. Besides, Christian had him cradled tightly against his chest. Levin kept a hold on Ana until he got her into the store while Johnson and Kelly blocked the entrance. Both men were built like brick walls and veterans of far worse than a pack of media hounds. Said media hounds, therefore, stood back and patiently waited for the Greys to exit. They knew that if they were somewhat polite, the Greys would pose for a few photos. Ana had become accustomed to being followed on grocery runs with Gail. She really enjoyed those and had months earlier dressed down the paparazzi pack for their poor manners. She had then promised posed pictures if they behaved themselves. This promise had dismayed Christian who'd never given an inch in all his years alone. Still, he had to admit that it did seem to tame the rowdy bunch a bit. Or maybe it was just the Ana effect.

As they exited the shop, Levin took Trev out of Ana's arms and buckled him into his car seat while the town celebrities posed prettily for pictures.

"Mrs. Grey, how are you feeling these days?" shouted several photogs at once. She smiled at them sweetly and thanked them for asking.

"I've been doing wonderfully. My husband takes such good care of me," she said, beaming up at Grey. Although he hated the bother of these people, he had to admit that Ana certainly upgraded his image. He was no longer so much the subject of vicious tabloid rants.

The flashes were beginning to trigger seizures, Grey griped to himself.

"Mr. Grey, didn't know you were such a fan of ice cream. Are you having a party?"

"Just a family gathering and no agreement on flavors, so…." Christian shrugged. He forced himself to grin somewhat.

"We have to go now, everyone. Even in this climate, ice cream melts," Ana smiled at the group.

Grey had to chuckle as he watched all of them put down their cameras and wave goodbye to Ana. She'd probably made their day. The Nooz and the rest of the papers, as well as internet media, would be filled with images of the Grey's day out by evening.

"Get us out of here, Levin," growled Christian as Ana giggled. That growl just did something to her.

Grey did have to admit that the paparazzi were much better behaved since Ana had brokered her deal with them. He thought back to one of her first encounters when they had climbed all over the car and pounded on the windows…asking if Ana was his beard. She'd almost gone into shock. Now, she knew half their names.

The rest of the trip out to Ambrosia Lane went smoothly. It was comforting for Ana to look back and see Johnson and Kelly bringing up the rear in a tank-like SUV. Nothing had been said about the car that had followed them after Sunday brunch at Grey Manor. Ana knew that Taylor and Christian had discussed it and then nothing more had been said. Christian was undoubtedly protecting her from distressing matters. Still, perhaps it had been nothing after all.

The parking area at the back of the house was crammed with vehicles. Elliot and Kate had arrived first. Grace and Carrick had parked in the garage. Half a dozen covert agents had cars discretely tucked aside. Mia and her boyfriend, Ethan Kavanaugh, had squeezed his Volkswagen **B**eetle into a small spot leaving more room for the Grey SUVs. PH.d candidates like Ethan had to economize.

"Looks like we're the last to arrive," noted Grey. Ana was growing accustomed to the Grey clan but still felt a bit nervous. She knew that there would be a roar when they entered the house. She instinctively looked for Kate.

There was much hugging and clamor for attention from the children. Demands for tours of the house and property. Ava was jumping up and down, shouting for Trev to show her his new room. His parents told him to have a look around and choose the room he liked best. Bad move. As he and little Ava climbed the stairs, Elliot and Christian followed behind, ready to catch their little people if they slipped on the century old marble steps.

"Get that elevator in asap, El," Christian ordered. "I don't even want Ana or Gail using these steps. Look how worn they are after 100 years."

"Kind of scares me, too. Yeah, bro, don't worry. I've already ordered a beautiful art deco elevator. Hope to have it in by end of next week. Did you know that there is a freight elevator in back? It was used by workmen when the place was built and then blocked off. We found it when we were digging around down in the basement. We'll have it up and running soon. It's going to come in handy. I don't want to use the new one for hauling furniture and tools."

"That's great, El. Figures, I guess. The original owners wouldn't have wanted workboots marking up this marble," Christian observed.

Once upstairs Trev and Ava ran madly from room to room until Trev screamed that he'd found his room. Naturally, it was the master bedroom and had a large balcony. Christian sighed.

"Trev, do you think that your mother is going to want you in a room with a balcony?" Christian asked. Trev considered this, putting a finger to his lips. The gesture, like Ana's, touched Christian's heart. He wanted to give his boy anything he wanted but knew that would be lazy parenting.

"Trev?"

"Okay, Daddy. I know. 'member when Mommy first came home and I flew paper airplanes and she screamed? I don't want to scare her again. I find room with just windows, okay?" Trev looked up at his Daddy's face and Christian picked him up and kissed his cheeks.

"That's my sweet boy. We have to take care of Mommy, don't we? I count on your help to do that, you know," Christian said, cuddling his son until Trev squirmed to get down. For a moment it broke Christian's heart that Trev was growing out of his baby phase and need for snuggles.

To Christian's delight, his son's second choice was a room far from the master. He'd like to have Elliot soundproof the master anyway although he doubted that Ana would go for that. She'd want to be able to hear Trev if he needed her. Grey looked around. It was a beautiful room and he imagined candlelit dinners on the balcony with Ana dressed in silken lingerie. The view west over the Sound would be stunning on full moon nights. As he stood admiring the water, for a second he thought that he saw something move in the window of the second floor of the boathouse. He peered more closely but saw nothing more. He'd have to have one of the guys check out the boathouse. He wondered about the safety of the old stairs anyway and he thought it best to lock it up whenever the kids were around.

One more look around the room and its en suite and he headed back out. He so looked forward to moving in with his little family and then, in a year or so, choosing a nursery room for their new child. He wanted a girl, a little Ana. Girls wanted to cuddle no matter their age. That would be nice, he thought. Right after the wedding, he and Ana would get going on that surrogacy plan. He couldn't wait to find out if he'd get his little girl. Then he and Ana could start decorating the nursery. He'd kept Trev in a crib next to his bed until he was old enough to climb the stairs but that was when he was alone.

The family was gathered in the main parlor. Grace had spread a huge blanket on the floor with lots of pillows and a huge spread in the center. Elliot, of course, was already moving in on the food.

"Hey, bro, are you going to have a pool here? We'll have to build on, ya know. I'd like a pool. Something indoor/outdoor for summer. What do you think, eh?" asked Elliot.

"Yeah, we'd get a lot of use out of a pool. We have to build on anyway. Taylor says that our previous plans for using part of the library for security won't work. I'd like a security room that can double as a panic room and a pass through for Gail and Taylor to get to their home."

The talk of building plans continued between the men while the women discussed the wedding. Well, Ana didn't say much about the wedding. She mostly listened. Mia wanted to take her shopping for a gown and she nodded yes to that but no to heels. Grace offered Grey Manor's backyard for the ceremony because it was clear that this house wouldn't be ready for some time.

Ana smiled happily throughout the discussion among Kate, Mia and Grace. It was touching to see them so wrapped up in _her_ wedding. She didn't care about it much but it was important to everyone else so it was important to her. While they talked, she watched the children. She loved holding little Ross. He blew bubbles and gurgled. She sang softly to him. After a bit, she wandered over to a quiet corner with him and watched as the day dimmed. She wanted to go out to the dock to enjoy the lights from the city in the distance as she had that night with Christian.

Trev was bored and a little tired. Ava had fallen asleep in her grandfather's arms as he and the men had moved into the library to drink bourbon and discuss men things. Ross began to fuss. He was hungry so Ana returned him to Kate.

"Ana, do you want anything special besides chocolate cake and crème cheese frosting?" grinned Kate.

"Just two beautiful bridesmaids and a gorgeous mother-in-law," she smiled.

"Oh, done and done, "laughed Mia. "Wait until you see the dresses we've picked out. Now we just have to get _your_ dress. Kate and I are fighting over lace and satin. Got a preference?"

"No. I have no idea what I'd look best in. I'll yield to your good taste."

"Ethan thinks that I should back off a bit. He says that I might be too much for you," Mia grimaced.

"Nonsense, you have wonderful taste and Kate tells me that I wore her clothes all through college so obviously I wouldn't know what to do with myself. Thus, I put myself in your hands…with one caveat. Simple. That's all. Nothing complicated and showy. Simple."

"So, something that Christian can get you out of as fast as possible," roared Mia as Grace chided her.

The women all went back to their discussion as Trev pulled on his mother's hand.

"What is it, sweet pea?" Ana inquired.

"I bored, Mommy."

"Want to take a walk? We can go out to the yard and you can show me what you'd like to have out there to play on. I think I saw a great tree. Uncle Elliot can build you a treehouse."

"Yes!" Trev agreed. He pulled her hand toward the patio and together they left the room. Everyone was so involved in their conversation that no one noticed the duo leave the house.

They would regret their lack of attention.

CHAPTER 47

"Mommy, is that the tree, that big one by the boathouse?" asked Trev.

"Yes, that's it, Trev. See how the big limbs come out by the side? I think that your Uncle Elliot could use those to build the treehouse around. Of course, we'll have to get your father on board with this, too. He'll worry about you falling out of the tree," explained Ana.

"Yeah, we get Daddy on board. Mommy, what is 'on board'?" asked Trev.

"Oh, it's just an expression that means saying yes to something. It means like being on board a train or a boat. Remember when we went on board Daddy's sailboat?"

"Yeah. I good sailor, uh, Mommy?"

"You sure are, honey. Should we look over the dock and the boathouse before we go back in?"

"Maybe there a boat in there?" suggested Trev.

"I don't think so but maybe we'll get one, a small one." Ana took Trev's hand again as they strolled toward the little boathouse.

Back at the house, Ryan was on the monitor, watching the property. He saw Ana and Trev walking to the dock. He was surprised that Grey wasn't with them. He thought that he'd better check, just in case. He called out to Grey but he was too far away to hear. Ryan made a note to tell Taylor that this place would need an intercom system. Then he took out his phone.

**Sir, are you aware of your wife's and son's location at present**?

_I believe they're in the parlor with the others._

**No, sir. They're outside by the dock. Shall I send CPOs?**

_Yes, and hurry._

Grey ran from the study into the parlor, startling everyone. He looked panic-stricken as he raced through the room to the patio doors and out into the night. His wife and son were nowhere to be seen. Then he heard the sound of a small motor.

Just minutes before, Ana and Trev had gone into the boathouse, surprised to see a small motorboat berthed there. Moments later, a man stepped out of the shadows.

"Mommy?" Trev's little voice quivered. Ana pulled him closer to her and behind her. The man had a gun. Ana tried to take a step back until the man raised the gun.

"Get into the boat. Move fast," he ordered in a raspy voice. She didn't recognize the voice. He seemed to be disguising it. "Now!" he grunted angrily.

Ana picked up Trev and hastily set foot in the boat, falling into a seat as the vessel rocked beneath them. The man moved quickly into the seat behind her and started the motor, backing the boat out of the boathouse and into the open water.

Ana could hear Christian yelling as the man gunned the boat forward and down the Sound into the darkness. She momentarily contemplated jumping into the water with Trev but the boat was moving too fast and she couldn't actually judge how far they'd gone from the dock. Trev was quaking in her arms as she whispered comforting words to him.

Christian ran as fast as he could to the boathouse. He knew that there was no boat in there. At least, there hadn't been…wasn't supposed to be. A cold shiver went down his spine. Something wasn't right.

"Ana! Trev!" he yelled. Dammit. Did that wife of his find a boat and decide to take a little tour of the water around the dock? It would be just like her. He yelled again. He was becoming irritated with the lack of an answer. He ran to the edge of the dock. The sound of the motor was now distant. It was too dark to see anything. He turned back and entered the boathouse and then ran up the stairs. His foot went through the top step. He grabbed the railing and looked around. His wife and child were gone. God. No.

"Mr. Grey? Are they up there?" Ryan called from below. He then saw that his boss was limping down the stairs.

"They're gone, Ryan. Call Taylor."

Soon, the yard was lit up and agents were everywhere but it was useless. Christian knew that that motor sound was his wife and son moving, moving far away from him. His anguish and his fear were engulfing him. He didn't even feel the five inch gash in his leg. As Ryan helped him into the house, Grace ran for her bag. Soon, she'd cleaned the wound and sewed it up but Christian just stared into the distance.

"He took them, Mom. He took them."

"Christian, who do you think took them?" she asked.

"Ian Hyde. I know it was him. Taylor! We're going to Portland!"

"Taylor isn't here yet, sir, but he's on his way," said Ryan. "We've got boats up and down the Sound. We also have drones in the air, sir. They have thermal equipment on board that will pick up heat signals. We'll find them, sir," Ryan swore, trying to convince himself as much as Grey.

Christian began to pace, limping back and forth, tearing at his hair. He took deep breaths, attempting to calm himself. It would do his wife and child no good for him to let himself be overcome with fear. He told himself that he had to be cool, collected. He'd always been able to put emotions aside in emergencies. Ian wouldn't hurt them, he said to himself. He was crazy but not a killer. He just wanted Ana…but what if he didn't want her son?

He collapsed on an ottoman and buried his face in his hands. He didn't know long he sat like that before he felt a strong hand on his shoulder. Taylor.

"Ian took them, Taylor," he gasped.

"Yes, sir. I believe so, too. That obscene letter he left in the elevator. I believe that _he_ believes that Ana belongs to him…that you stole her and are keeping her against her will. I don't think that he'll harm her, sir."

"And Trev?" Christian looked up at Taylor.

"If he hadn't wanted Trev as well, he'd have left him on the dock. Remember how he told Ana that he had a wife and son? I called Stephan and he'll be bringing Charlie Tango around. I've already determined that there is plenty of space on the lawn for a helicopter landing. He'll take us straight to Portland. We'll talk to Jack Hyde. He'll probably have some idea of where Ian would hide Ana and Trev.

"Excuse me a moment, sir. I'll be right back." Taylor left Christian, now surrounded by his family like a giant cocoon…his parents on either side and his sister and brother behind him. They were terribly shaken. Elliot was holding tight to Kate…Ethan holding tight to Mia. Gail had taken Ava and Ross into the library to read to them.

Soon, Taylor returned with a printout of some kind in his hands.

"Christian, this is a thermal image of the Sound and the swampy area to the west. The drones have been searching the area for signs of heat images. They found one, sir. A few miles north, in the swamp, a small figure. We have a boat waiting for us."

Christian stood up and almost fell over as his injured leg crumbled beneath him. Taylor threw his arm around Grey's waist and pulled Grey's arm over his shoulder to half-walk, half-carry him out to the water. He helped him climb into a large rescue boat used by the Seattle PD. The boat roared off down the Sound.

The man kept one hand on the tiller and the other holding a gun on his captives. After speeding along for some time, he turned left into the trees on the west side of the Sound. He maneuvered the fishing boat through the swampy area for a mile or so before pulling up to a small dock. He then turned off the motor, tossed its mooring line around a post and ordered Ana to get out.

Ana picked up Trev and, with the boat rocking, tried to climb unto the dock.

"NO! Leave the kid. He isn't yours anyway," growled the stranger.

"He's my son. I'm not going to leave him out here, are you crazy? He's just a little boy." Ana was more angry than frightened at that moment.

The man cocked the gun.

"Leave him or carry his dead body."

Ana couldn't see the man's face. He was wearing a ski mask. How trite, she thought. Mothering instincts could make a woman quite brave. She thought for a moment. The man yelled at her again. She thought to take the chance to make him angry enough to fire a warning shot…a shot that could be heard by potential rescuers. No, too big a chance.

"I'll do as you say without arguing or giving you any trouble if you give me a moment to put on this lifejacket."

"Do it quickly or the kid goes in the drink," the man sneered.

While Ana secured the life jacket around Trev, she spoke quietly to him.

"Darling, listen closely and do exactly as I say, all right?"

"Yes, Mommy," Trev nodded.

"Stay right here in this boat. Don't get out no matter what. Your daddy will be looking for you and he will find you. Yes. He. Will. Promise me that you'll stay in the boat," Ana looked Trev in the eye.

"Yes, Mommy, I promise. I stay in boat until Daddy comes," Trev asserted. He kissed her cheek and she kissed his as well.

"MOVE!" roared the man.

Ana climbed unto the dock and the man grabbed her hand and began dragging her down a narrow path. She looked back at the small boat for as long as she could see Trev.

Trev sat in the boat, watching his mommy disappear into the black of the night with the bad man. He could feel that she wasn't scared and so he determined to be brave as well. She had told him once when he was very scared that it was a good thing because if you were scared, then you had a chance to be something really good….brave. Little Trev was very scared, sitting there in the boat, in the dark, alone. He was also trying to be brave. He would wait for his daddy.

"Are we close?" Grey yelled above the roar of the engine.

"Closing in, sir, yes." The captain of the vessel was concerned that his ship would be too big to make it through all the reeds and trees growing out of the water. He radioed for a smaller boat to be readied.

Taylor, consulting his mapped images, indicated to the captain that he needed to slow and halt.

"According to this, the image we saw is about a mile in from this waterline, captain. Can you get this vessel through?" His tone was hopeful and the captain knew if he tried, that they would either get stuck or scrape the paint off the hull. He looked at the father sitting near the helm and decided to chance it. Maybe they could get close enough to launch an inflatable raft which he could then hope wouldn't get poked full of holes and sink. If nothing else, he and his crew were great swimmers. They would get in there and get…well…whatever it was. He could only pray that the thermal image was a living person and not a cooling corpse. He turned the wheel. The boat began to push into the swamp.

The man yanked Ana's arm, dragging her along an overgrown trail, branches slashing at her face. She lost a shoe but he wouldn't let her pick it up. Said that she wouldn't need it. Finally, they came to a narrow dirt road and a pickup truck that she could barely make out in the light of the moon. He opened a creaky door and shoved her inside and over to the passenger side of the front seat.

"Put on your seatbelt." She obeyed as he watched. Then he leaned over her to lock her door. She could smell cheap cologne and bad breath.

"Where are we going? She asked. "Someplace safe. Don't worry. He'll never find you." Ana knew in that moment that she couldn't wait for rescue. She had to watch instead for her chance. Somehow she had to stay alive and get away.

"Here," he said, handing her a bandanna. "Tie this around your eyes…tight." Again, he was watching closely so she knew that she couldn't leave room to peek out.

"Give me your hands." He roughly jerked her hands toward him and fastened what felt like plastic strips around her wrists.

The truck moved off down the road. Ana felt dirt, then gravel and then, something harder. Pavement. Asphalt or concrete. They drove a long way. It seemed that hours passed. Ana tried to stay awake but was too exhausted by her ordeal and soon fell asleep.

The captain inched his way through the swamp, wincing as he heard submerged roots and tree trunks scrapping the hull. He quietly radioed central to stand by…they might be sinking soon. He continued on, committed now. He only had to look at the poor sap next to him. The man was visibly shaking.

"We're close, captain…maybe 500 feet."

Christian had to take the chance. He called out. "Ana, Trev, are you there?"

"Daddy! I here!" The sound was so tiny that Christian thought he imagined it. He called out again.

"TREV!?"

"YES, Daddy, I right here! Mommy say stay in boat and be brave!"

Suddenly, right in front of them, the captain saw the little boat and the little boy. He immediately put the engine into neutral and dropped anchor, stopping within inches of the fishing boat. He breathed in a sigh of relief.

His wasn't the only sigh of relief. Everyone on board cheered. His first mate slapped him on the back. Taylor even broke…throwing his arm around the captain. Christian tried to climb out of the boat to his son but Ryan fairly flew off and into the little boat, grabbing Trev and hugging him hard. Then he handed him up to Christian who burst into tears, clutching his little boy. Everyone stopped for a moment, shuffling around and trying to give the man some privacy.

Christian told his son he loved him several times and asked if he was hurt anywhere. Trev assured his daddy that he was fine, just hungry, and that he'd been very brave…just like Mommy said.

"I do it good, Daddy?"

"Yes, son. You did great. Do you know? Where is Mommy?"

"The bad man took her that way," Trev pointed out the path. Ryan and Taylor immediately jumped ship and ran down the path.

"Daddy, Mommy told me to wait and be brave 'cause you would come. She said it like this…" Trev then tried to use the same tone as his mother. "He. Will. Find. You. Yes. He. Will." "So, I know you come. I just be brave."

Several minutes had passed. Ryan and Taylor returned, shaking their heads.

"The path ends at a dirt road. We'll have to wait 'til morning to follow the tracks but I suspect that Ian would eventually turn onto a solid road anyway and there the tracks will end. Remember, Christian, he won't hurt her. Furthermore, Ana is a very smart cookie. She'll know how to stay alive. Now, let's get Trev back home and have your mother look him over."

As Christian held tightly to his son, the captain weighed anchor and slowly, cautiously, retreated from the swamp. As he brought his ship back to deep water, he noted that it was still seaworthy. Tomorrow he'd have to get it out of the water to see how badly it was scraped up. Worth it.

Back at Grey Manor, everyone stood on the dock and a cheer went up when Trev stood on his daddy's lap and waved. Ryan took Trev off the boat and handed him off to Grace while Taylor half-carried Christian off. Trev insisted on holding his daddy's hand as he limped up to the house.

While Grace looked him over, Trev related every detail he could think of about the man and what he said as Taylor and the other listened intently.

"He disguised his voice," noted Taylor, "which means that he planned to leave Trev and didn't want Trev to identify him."

"But Trev has never met Ian Hyde so why would he want to fool Trev?" asked Christian.

"Not Trev, Christian, Ana. He would have been afraid that Ana would recognize his voice and tell Trev. Good thing, too. Although I believe that Ana would have said nothing to Trev to protect him. To keep Ian from 'silencing' him. I think he took Trev along in order to secure Ana's cooperation."

As they talked, Stephan set Charlie Tango down on the lawn.

CHAPTER 48

A sharp turn of the truck jostled Ana awake. She could feel gravel beneath the wheels.

"How long have we been driving?" Ana asked in a deliberately meek voice.

"A few hours. We're close now. And no one has followed us," the man answered in a self-assured voice. It was clear that he was proud of himself.

"You don't have to worry anymore, Ana. I'll keep you safe. You'll never have to see that horrible man again."

Ana said nothing. She was thinking, though. That "horrible man" will find me and possibly kill you.

"Where will we be living?" Ana asked, her voice quavering.

"I have a cabin in the forest. It's almost impossible to find and the land is beautiful. It's high on a bluff overlooking the water. You'll love it there. Of course, it will take some time to deprogram you first."

"Deprogram me?"

"Yes, that man has had years to convince you that he loves you and that you love him. He's even managed to convince you that you have a child together. Of course, that's a lie…like everything else he's ever told you. You've always been naïve, Ana. I've known you for a long time and watched you being manipulated by others. It will take time to release you from your delusions, to make certain that you see the truth. Once you're freed from the lies, we can go out into the world and live together as we were meant to be."

"So, I've known you for a long time?" she asked.

"Yes and no. I've known you and watched you. I watched you accept Christian Grey as your lord and master. I watched you become what he wanted you to be. And I watched you finally collapse from the strain and retreat into darkness to escape. I didn't expect you to ever return but you did and then I knew that I had to rescue you from yourself."

"Who _are_ you then?". First chance she had, she was going to spit in his eye for scaring her little boy.

"It isn't time yet. Perhaps when we've settled into your new home. I have a lot to tell you about your life. You won't believe at first. It will take time. Be patient."

Ana wanted to ask more questions but the man's tone suggested some irritation with her. He expected her to be childlike and obedient. Boy, she thought, does he have the wrong girl.

She felt the ground beneath the truck's wheels discontinue crunching. It was softer now, a plain dirt road. Her body leaned hard forward against the seatbelt. They were going downhill. She reached out with her tied hands to lean against the dash for support. They seemed to be moving so steeply that she let out an inadvertent whimper. Suddenly she felt an arm across her chest holding her steady. She managed to hold in a cry of disgust. Instead, she pretended to breathe easier.

"Don't worry," reassured the man, "I've got you. We're almost there now."

All right, thought Ana, I have to climb a steep hill when I escape but on a soft road. That's good. Once I hit the top of the hill, I'll have to run on gravel…and I'll just have to keep telling myself that it's only a short distance to pavement and traffic. It helped her to look ahead to her escape, helped her to keep calm. She didn't want to think about where the man intended to imprison her until she was "deprogramed".

"May I ask a question, sir?" she asked with a trembling voice. "Please?"

"All right," he answered in an exasperated tone.

"What do you mean by deprogramming? What will you do to me?"

"Ah, you misunderstand me, Ana. I mean you no harm. I will tell you the truth about the man you call husband. It won't take you long to make up your own mind…if you listen to me. He is an evil man who has lied to you, time and again, about everything."

Ana began to cry. They were sincere tears, born not of believing this monster but of exhaustion, distress and missing the "evil man" she loved so dearly. The man, of course, attributed her tears to the beginnings of facing the truth. It would be hard for her, he knew, to accept that her life was all wrong and had to change but she would surely come to understand and accept that her life _should_ be with _him_.

Finally, the truck came to a stop. The man got out and after opening Ana's door, dragged her several feet and up unto a wooden surface. She could still see nothing. She could hear birds, horns from below from passing boats and then the slam of a door as she was pushed inside the building.

"Are you hungry?" the man asked.

Ana shook her head.

"It's been some time since you last ate. You must be hungry." The man sounded angry.

"I don't have much appetite, sir," she said. The man pushed her onto a chair and told her to remain still. Then she heard noises that she couldn't put all together…scraping, banging, thuds, creaks, and more. She didn't know what they all meant. Finally, the man returned, grabbed her arm and pulled her from the chair. She stumbled across the room where he stopped her and told her to kneel on all fours. He guided her feet to the top rung of a ladder.

"You're going to climb down now. Don't worry. I won't let you fall."

Ana slipped and grabbed unto a rung, cautiously making her way down the ladder, counting the steps as she descended. Figuring each gap measured 1 foot, she knew the bunker into which she was going was 10 feet below the cabin floor. She heard the man pulling a chain.

Once solidly on the floor of her prison, the man removed her mask. Ana had been blindfolded for several hours so the light momentarily blinded her. As her vision cleared, she could see a large room with a concrete floor, with concrete walls and a concrete ceiling from which hung a bulb on a chain.

"As you can see, Ana, it would do no good to yell for help. This room is soundproofed. Only I will ever know that you're down here. Your only way out is to get well. Meanwhile, this is where you will live. You have a bed, a kitchenette and a bathroom. It isn't bad. Over here is a small library. I'll bring more books. If you have any titles or authors in mind, just let me know."

"I'll suffocate down here," Ana fake sniffled. Where were the vents? she wondered. Could she get a message out?

"Don't worry. There is a ventilation system, heating and cooling system. There is enough food in the fridge and the freezer as well as in the cupboards to feed you for a year. The bathroom has a shower and a toilet. All the conveniences. I'm sorry that I can't give you a view right away. Maybe after a couple of weeks, I can take you upstairs and out onto the porch for a while."

Ana held out her hands, gesturing to be freed from her constraints. The man shook his head.

"No, not yet. It's too soon. You might try something."

Ana let her lower lip tremble and tears well up in her eyes.

"They're so tight and sharp. They hurt. They're cutting me," she whimpered. Indeed, thanks to Ana's pressing of the plastic into her flesh deliberately, her wrists were bleeding. The man looked alarmed. How nice, she thought snidely. He cares. Now be stupid and cut these ties. Indeed, he instantly did so. He retrieved a pocket knife from his jacket and cut the ties from her wrists…only to pull out a fresh pair of cable ties. These he double-looped around her wrist but connected loosely enough to give her a couple feet of leeway between her arms.

"This way you'll feel comfortable but still constrained enough," he said, his eyes wide, giving Ana the impression that he was looking for her approval. She smiled at him gratefully and thanked him for his consideration. She'd hoped that he would remove the strips completely.

"When will you sit down with me and tell me the "truth" about Christian Grey?" Ana asked softly.

"Soon, try to find something to eat and then rest. I'll return later and we can talk then," the man promised. With no idea of how to escape, Ana nodded and sat down on the bed to think.

"Still no answer at the Hyde residence, sir," Taylor informed his boss as Stephan set the helicopter down on top of the Heathman Hotel.

"Ian is out kidnapping Ana and Jack is out at a BDSM club somewhere," suggested Grey sardonically. "If Ian touches her, he's a dead man."

"I, we, all of us, need you to keep it together, Christian. I know that you're scared. We're all worried. We can't let it overwhelm us. We just have to be smarter than this man," Taylor reminded his boss.

"We'll have to wait for Jack to return from his prowling," sighed Christian. It could be a few hours yet. Let's go stake out his house on Lincoln Avenue."

"I'll take first watch. Maybe you should try to get some rest," Taylor suggested. He could see that Grey's face was ashen. Although he didn't complain, his leg was throbbing with pain. As was his heart.

"I'll try. It doesn't seem possible, tho. I never sleep well without Ana even when she isn't in the clutches of a maniac. First, I'm going to call Mom and see how Trev is doing," he said as he picked up his cell.

"Christian? Any word?" Grey could hear the fear in his mother's voice.

"No, Mom. Taylor and I are going to wait outside Hyde's house for him to return from his night out. I'll try to keep you informed. How is Trev doing?"

"He was dead on his little feet, poor baby. He kept trying to console _me_. Told me that his mommy is smart and his daddy Will. Find. Her. That's how he said it." Christian could hear the smile in her voice.

"I will, Mom. It just can't be any other way. Kiss Trev for me when he wakes up, okay? I love you. Bye."

Taylor pulled up outside the Hyde mansion. It was completely dark. They settled in for a long wait.

CHAPTER 49

After the man, i.e., Ian left her alone, Ana sat on the bed looking around the room. She decided to take an inventory to see if anything could be used as a weapon. There was a refrigerator filled with paper cartons. No plastic that she could whittle into a shiv. Ian had thought this through. There were more paper cartons in the cupboards, specially sealed for a long shelf life. No metal cans. No utensils. She guessed that she was supposed to eat with her hands or drink the contents of the cartons.

Next she inspected the bath. Soap. Sponge. Thick towels. The toilet tank lid was sealed shut. Nothing. She could find nothing she could conceive of using as a weapon. Discouraged, Ana lay down on the bed, falling immediately to sleep.

"Christian, Christian," said Taylor, shaking his boss's shoulder. "Wake up. A car just pulled in."

Grey sat up quickly, amazed that he'd fallen asleep. "How long have I been out?"

"About 3 hours, give or take a nightmare. The car pulled into the garage so I couldn't see if it was Ian or Jack. No, before you ask, the car wasn't a dark older sedan."

Together Grey and Taylor headed for the front door, ringing the bell and waiting impatiently. It was Jack who answered. He looked disappointed but waved the duo in.

"I've had a very tiring day so this had better be good," he snarled.

"Where is Ian?" Grey angrily demanded.

"That is why I've had such a long day. He disappeared a few days ago, leaving me high and dry and begging a judge for a continuance. If I didn't have a relationship with his Honor, I'd be in trouble," said Hyde.

"Would that relationship include BDSM, Jack?" Grey sneered.

Jack looked surprised and shaken. He took a step back. Then he drew himself up to a straight stance and tried to stare Grey down.

"BDSM is not illegal, Grey…although I wouldn't want my activities becoming well-known, people being the puritans that they are. I'm sure that _you_ understand," he jeered at Grey.

"Mr. Grey's activities are not of interest here, Mr. Hyde. Your son, Ian's, are," Taylor snapped back.

"Ian? Do you know something of his whereabouts? I haven't heard from him and I'm starting to get worried. Why do _you_ want him?" Jack actually did appear concerned.

"You're telling us that you have no idea where he could be? He's wanted by the Seattle PD, for starters," Taylor said.

"The police! Why?! My god, what do they think that he's done? He's never gotten so much as a speeding ticket," Hyde exclaimed, frowning as he sank into a chair.

"Kidnapping, for starters." Grey leaned against Hyde's stair railing, crossing his arms and looking intimidating.

Jack leapt up from his chair, shock on his face.

"Ian? Impossible. That boy doesn't have the cojones to pull off that sort of crime. He stops at yellow lights, for god's sake! Who's he supposed to have kidnapped?"

"Mrs. Grey and her son," Taylor informed Hyde, his voice on the edge of fury. He'd told Grey to be cool and now he felt himself losing his own. "He released Trev but he took Ana."

Jack looked from Taylor to Grey and back again. His amazement seemed genuine. He walked about the room, his hands shaking as he grabbed hold of a large chair for support.

"Why, why would he do that?" Hyde gulped. "I told him that he was in no danger. I told him that your wife had no memory of….of what he'd done to her all those years ago. He always worried but he shared most of the worry with Doreen. When she…passed, he told me that he had nightmares about going to jail. After our talk, I assured him that he had nothing to worry about….that we all just wanted peace…to go on with our lives. He seemed to accept that. He said nothing since and he seemed fine.

"God, Grey, I don't know what to say. Are you certain that it was my son who took your family?"

"He's our only suspect, Jack. He came to visit Ana and told her that he had a mansion and a wife and a son."

Jack's eyes opened wide in disbelief. "A family? He said that he had a wife and son?"

"Later, he called her on my private line…told her that he'd gotten the number from you. Was that a lie?" Grey demanded to know.

"Yes, of course. How would I get your private line? I have your father's number so if I wanted to reach you, I'd have to talk to him first. Did he mention giving out your number? I mean, I'm pretty sure that Carrick knows _my_ voice from my son's."

"Did you know that Ian came to see my wife a few weeks ago?" asked Grey.

"No, I did not," frowned Hyde.

"That same day, someone vandalized my car and left an obscene letter for my wife to find in the elevator. The gist of it was that I'd stolen what belonged to the letter writer…my wife."

"And, from the way it was written, it was clear that the writer had known Mrs. Grey for a long time and considered her to be his property long before she married Mr. Grey. The letter was filled with fury. It all fits, Hyde," Taylor asserted.

Jack fell into a chair and dropped his head for a moment. Then, finally, he spoke in a trembling voice, "There might be someplace he'd take her. It wouldn't be his smartest move because I know the place. But Ian isn't the smartest boy. He might not think that you'd ask and I'd tell."

"Where, Jack? We have to hurry." Grey was breathing hard.

"It's complicated. I haven't been up there in some time. I hope that I still know the way. I would have looked for him there today if I'd thought of it. He's rarely been there but he loved it. A cabin in the forest. Do you hav 4? It's rough country.

"One thing. Promise me that you won't hurt him. Let me talk to him. I can calm him."

"My son said that he had a gun," warned Grey.

"Crap. If it's the gun from my grandfather's desk, I'm not even sure if it works. Do you think that you are capable of shooting someone without killing them, Taylor?"

"I only shot to kill Doreen because there was no other way, Hyde. I'll deal with your boy the same. I promise to shoot to wound if at all possible. Now let's move. How long a trip is this, by the way?"

"I'm not sure. I seem to remember it being an hour, at least," Hyde guessed.

The men piled into the rental Land Rover, Taylor driving while Hyde pointed out the way. Grey sat quietly in the back seat…holding on to his sanity.

"Christian, I've sent word to Baxter to come up and bring several agents with him. When we arrive, I'll give him the GPS location to find this cabin. You okay?"

"Fine. Just drive." Grey felt leaden and, at the same time, fragile enough to crack.

Ana opened her eyes. It was dark. When had the light gone out? Had Ian come down? She thought to feel her way to the fridge, to open it for light, but when she tried to move, she found that her ties were wrapped around the bed frame. So, even when he had her locked down in this bunker, he intended to entrap her further. Well, she knew of a way to make him sorry for that.

Her bladder was about to burst….and she let it. She soaked her clothes, the bed linens, the mattress. She smiled. Let's see how he likes his princess when she and her tower are stinking of pee.

CHAPTER 50

"Turn right up here, unto the gravel road. It's kind of spooky this time of night. Let me think. Hmmm….I don't think we go far before we see another right turn…no, no, too soon. Keep going. Slow down. Here we are. Take a right here. Don't freak out. It's pretty steep. If you go slow and stay on the brake, we should be okay. Ours is the only cabin on this road. It ends at a cement driveway. The whole place is built on a concrete slab to keep it stable. Otherwise, when it rains, it would start sliding off the cliff.

"Yeah, there it is. No lights on inside but that's his truck there. The porch light is on 'cause it has a motion detector. He's probably gone to bed. The place is basically one large room except for a bath. If he does have your wife, he wouldn't be able to hide her.

"Listen," said Hyde, "let me go in first. If he is armed, I'll need to calm him down…get him to see reason. "

"I don't want to give him a chance to shoot Ana if he realizes that we're out here, Hyde," said Grey.

"That's why I want to get the gun away from him first. If you go barging in with me, he's liable to panic."

Taylor nodded at Grey. Grey nodded at Hyde. Then Hyde called out his son's name and walked around the corner unto the porch. A moment passed before Hyde cried out his son's name.

"Ian! Oh, my god, Ian! No! No!"

As Taylor and Grey ran up unto the porch, they found Jack kneeling in front of a hammock, holding his son's head. Hyde was hysterical. As they drew closer, they saw a puddle of blood on the porch floor, Ian's hand hanging down and, on the floor beneath his hand, a gun. Taylor pulled out his phone and called for an ambulance. An ambulance that would arrive too late to be of any use. Ian had put a bullet in his head.

Jack held onto his son and sobbed.

Grey, his heart pounding furiously, ran into the cabin, fumbling for a light switch. As the room lit up, he could see that it was empty. To one side was a bed and dresser. To the other was a small kitchen and a door, ajar enough to show a toilet and sink. Christian quickly checked out the bath and then a door by the bed that opened to a clothes closet. No sign of Ana.

Taylor came into the room and began stomping on the floor, working a grid back and forth, listening for a hollow sound that would indicate space beneath. There was none. Like Jack had said, the wood floor was on top of a concrete slab. He and Grey sat on the floor, breathing heavily. This was all they had. It was a dead end.

Taylor's phone rang. "Yeah? Okay, I'm sending the GPS coordinates now. The last right is a steep downhill. Be careful. When you get here, spread out in a grid pattern through the woods. We're looking for….for anything."

"Baxter and the others are on their way. Christian? Dammit, don't fall apart on me. I'm not giving up." He reached over and grabbed Christian's shoulder. Grey jumped to his feet and ran out to the porch.

"Why, Jack, why would Ian kill himself now? What does it mean?" Grey demanded to know. Did it mean that Ana had rejected him and he'd given up? Would he have done something to Ana?

Jack sat in the blood, his hand resting on his son's cheek. "I don't know, Grey, I don't. He'd been depressed a lot lately. He never really got past his mother's death. He didn't know how to function without her. Christ, she still laid out his clothes in the morning. I tried to bring him out of it. I tried to be strong for him. I guess I failed. If he did take Ana, I just don't know why he'd leave her."

Hyde began to weep again. Grey sat down in one of the wicker chairs and stared out at the lights across the water. He didn't know how long he sat there. The ambulance came and took Ian's body away. Hyde went with his son. Baxter and his team arrived and began combing the woods for clues.

"Christian, let's go back to Hyde's house. Let's search it. It's a big place and Ian could possibly have hidden Ana there without his father's knowledge." Grey nodded. He didn't have a good feeling about it but it was something anyway. He needed to do something.

"Taylor, a word?" Baxter requested. Taylor left Grey on the porch and walked away with Baxter. Two more men joined them. It seemed a serious confab and Grey took an interest. Perhaps…

"What's going on, Baxter? Did you find something in the woods?"

"Christian, get in the car. We're leaving. I'll tell you on the way." Taylor took his boss's arm and steered him toward the 4x4. Christian pulled his arm away and stepped back.

"No. Tell me. Now."

"I'd rather talk to you in the car on the way to Hyde's house," Taylor insisted.

"NO!" Christian began to pant. The dark woods were closing in around him. His heart was clenching painfully in his chest.

Taylor nodded to Baxter. Baxter tried to keep his composure.

"A fresh grave was found a ways up the hill. It contains a woman's body, a woman's nak…hmmm…unclothed body. The hair is dark brown and chopped off, scattered around. Identification is uncertain as the face is…is gone. Shot off. We'll need to do a DNA test. Could be anyone, sir."

"Is the body petite, Baxter?" Christian's voice was trembling.

"Appears so, sir, but with only flashlights, it's hard to tell much. It was wrapped in a sheet. We'll get it into Portland asap, sir. I hate to ask this, sir, but we'll need a few hairs from Trev to see if there is a match."

"Taylor, have Stephan fly home for those hairs and get them back here asap, please," asked Grey. "Baxter, we'll be waiting at Portland Memorial. Oh, Baxter, was there a ring on the left hand?"

"No, sir. There was, however, an indentation where a ring had been. Is there anything else, sir?"

Grey turned away and walked to the Land Rover.

Approximately a dozen feet below his own, his wife lay in the dark, waiting for her captor's next visit.

CHAPTER 51

Carrick put the phone back in his pocket as he returned to his family, all awaiting word as they gathered in the main parlor. He was pale and unsteady on his feet. He looked around at all the adults. The children had been put to bed upstairs in a makeshift bedroom. Gail was resting with them in case anyone awoke.

"Elliot, son, would you see if you can get a few hairs from Trev's head without disturbing him?"

Carrick knew that Elliot carried a Swiss Army Knife. He could use the scissors to snip the necessary hairs. Elliot leapt quickly to his task as Mia turned her sobbing face to Ethan's chest. Grace wrapped her arms around her daughter-in-law's shaking shoulders as Kate, too, began to cry.

"Just tell us, Cary. Please." Grace gazed up at her husband as he struggled to maintain his composure.

"Taylor and Christian were guided by Jack Hyde to a cabin in a dense wood north of Portland. They found Ian Hyde there, dead by his own hand. No sign of Ana. One of the agents found a shallow grave…." Kate screamed "No! No!"

Carrick knelt down to put his hand on Kate's back, patting her gently as he continued.

"containing the body of a petite woman. They couldn't make a positive identification due to the face of the woman having been"…..he gulped, trying desperately to gain control.

"hmm…fired upon. The features were obliterated. The hair length was hard to ascertain as it had been cut quite short and scattered about. Taylor has requested that we obtain and bag a few of Trev's locks to use for DNA purposes." Then Carrick sank to the floor, leaning against his wife, _his_ rock.

Grace, remarkably calm, spoke.

"We mustn't lose hope. It's only been a relatively short amount of time since Ana was taken. If Ian intended her to be his own, he would not have….have done away with her so quickly. Also, hacking off her beautiful hair does not seem like something he would have done. This….this body

could be someone else…perhaps a young woman he had earlier taken as a substitute for the woman whom he really wanted."

No one replied to Grace's comment. Mia and Kate continued to sob. Elliot returned with a handful of hair which he handed off to one of the police officers who put the hairs into a plastic bag before stepping outside to wait for the helicopter.

Elliot returned to his wife's side and enveloped her in his arms. They listened for the rotors. The chopper would be arriving soon.

"Katie, I'd like...that is, I think I ought to go back with Charlie Tango to Portland to be with Christian. What do you think?"

"Yes," she gasped as she tried to draw a breath. "I think that you ought to be with him, too. He'll need his big brother. Oh, I hear the rotors now. You go ahead. I'll be okay with Grace and Carrick. I love you," she finished.

Elliot kissed her and left the house. Minutes later, Charlie Tango alit on the lawn, took on its passengers and flew off into the night. No one spoke. The house was as silent as death.

The Portland Memorial waiting room was equally as quiet. Even the nurses, normally chatting at this time of night to keep themselves alert, knew better than to keep up a cheerful conversation. Taylor and Grey sat stiffly in the waiting room chairs, staring at the floor. They'd been told that it would take some time to do a DNA test, even a rush job. That was all right. They weren't in a rush to know the truth….as all signs pointed it out to be.

Christian had thought to ask if he could sit next to the corpse and hold her hand, wondering if he could handle it. To think that he would never look upon Ana's face again, even deceased, was too much to bear. Better to deny the very real possibility that she was gone than to believe. What would he say to Trev? No, he thought, no need to think that through yet.

His head shot up as the police officer and Elliot entered the waiting area. The officer delivered the baggie to the desk immediately. Elliot went straight to his little brother. Christian stood and grabbed onto Elliot.

"Thank you for coming with me, El. How is everyone?" asked Grey

"They're in bad shape, Chris. Just as soon as Dad asked me to cut a lock of Trev's hair, they understood. The kids are all asleep. Dad told us that Ian killed himself. Do you know why?"

"Sit here. We'll be waiting a while. We don't know why exactly…just speculation. Jack thinks that Ian might have realized what he'd done. Maybe Ana rejected him and he knew that she'd never have him…" he began to explain, haltingly.

Elliot nodded. He put his long arm around his brother's shoulder and they sat staring into space.

"Did they give you any idea of how long it would be before they had some news?" Elliot asked.

"We paid a princely sum for a rush job but it could still be a couple of days," Christian answered.

"I don't know if I can hold together that long. You'll stick around, won't you?"

"I'm not leaving you alone, Chris," Elliot assured him. "Where is Jack Hyde right now?"

"Maybe home," said Taylor. "He came back to the hospital with his son's body. He was pretty destroyed. He feared that Ian would fire on us when we arrived at the cabin. He did not expect to find his son dead from a self-inflicted bullet wound in his head. He's blaming himself, rightly so, for being a poor father.

"I wouldn't be surprised if he took himself off to one of his BDSM clubs for stress relief, however."

"Guess I should feel bad for him but I don't," allowed Elliot.

The threesome fell into a long silence.

"If the test will take days, perhaps we ought to go back to Grey Manor where everyone will be more comfortable. The kids are sleeping on the floor right now and the adults are just sitting on it. Trev will be looking for you when he gets up in a few hours."

"He'll ask for his mother, El. What do I tell him?" asked an anguished Grey.

"The truth. You don't know anything yet. Yes, it will be hard but it will be harder for him to wonder where both of you have gone."

Just as Grey was about to respond to his brother's suggestion, a man in a white coat came into the waiting room, heading straight for the only people there.

"Mr. Grey?" he inquired.

"Yes, that's me," Grey stood up on shaky legs.

"I know that you've been waiting quite a while and I'm sorry. I still don't have anything to tell you. It would probably be best if you go home to your family. I assure you that your case is our top priority and we will contact you the moment we have any information of value."

"My case." Grey repeated in a monotone. Taylor could see that his boss was ready to fall over. He stood on one side of Christian with Elliot on the other, literally holding Grey up.

"Sir, we should make use of Stephan before he becomes too tired to pilot Charlie Tango. We can't do anything here. We're going home." He handed a card to the technician. "Don't wait a second to contact me at this number…at any time. You understand? _Any_ time at all." The technician nodded.

As they headed out to the heliport, Christian looked at Taylor. "How many days and nights have we spent waiting in hospitals?"

"I know that you don't think that you can sleep, Christian, but you will. That's all you have to do right now."

When they landed back at Ambrosia Lane, Christian didn't move. He simply sat, staring into space.

Elliot brought a sleeping Trev out to the helicopter and buckled him into his seat. Robotically, Grey brought his arm up around his son. The rest of the family and their CPOs piled into their cars for the drive back into the city. Elliot kissed Kate and went out to fly to Escala with his brother and Gail. No one spoke or asked questions. Silence was a kind of safety.

When Charlie Tango set down on top of Escala, Christian thanked Stephan and gathered his son into his arms. He carried him to his bed and laid down with him. He might wake and cry out for his mother. His father, his heart and mind frozen with grief, didn't consider that _he_ himself might cry out for his wife.

CHAPTER 52

Prior to his son's body being released to him by the Portland PD , Jack Hyde contacted the same funeral home that had taken charge of Doreen at the end. As he explained that his son had a bullet wound to the head, he grimly noted the barely disguised astonishment of the funeral director, the same man who had been tasked with making Doreen acceptable for viewing. Jack didn't explain. He figured that the embalmer would be thinking…What? Again? What is it with this family?

After making the necessary arrangements, Jack looked around at his home. The police and Grey's agents had torn it apart, looking for Ana. He couldn't bear to stay in the mess so he decided to go back to the cabin…maybe clean up the blood stains on the porch.

It was dawn when he arrived. He went into the kitchen to find cleaning materials. Then he went to the stove and pulled it away from the wall. He'd get to the cleaning when he was ready to leave. First, he needed to check on his guest. He lifted a hatch and dropped a ladder down the hole. As he landed below, he smelled the strong odor of urine. Damn. Maybe he should have left her free to reach the toilet.

Flicking on the light, he saw Ana lying on the bed, her eyes closed. She was so beautiful. He thought eagerly of the days ahead when she'll have forgotten about Grey and dreamt only of _him._ They were going to be happy. Her eyes would light up when she saw him. He could wait as long as it took. He'd waited a lifetime already.

Ana had heard him coming. She heard him sniff. She pretended to sleep and tried not to laugh. She felt his hand shaking her awake. Of course. Anyone inconsiderate enough to kidnap her was not going to worry about disturbing her rest.

She groaned and sleepily opened her eyes, seeming to be confused for a moment. Then, feigning fear, she sat up and flattened her back against the wall.

"You soiled yourself, my dear. There are some fresh clothes in the bureau over there. I'll change the sheets."

Ana whimpered. She looked down at her wrists, tied to the bed. Jack pulled a penknife out of his back pocket and slit the cable ties holding her down. She rubbed her wrists which were red and sore. Jack pointed to the bathroom and told her to get cleaned up.

"I don't want you to watch me," Ana complained.

"I won't…this time. I'll be back soon, so hurry." Jack turned and quickly climbed the ladder before Ana had time to react. She didn't know yet what she could do anyway.

She slipped the ties off her wrists and removed her soiled clothes as she rushed to the bathroom. She spent just five minutes bathing and washing her hair. She thought of Christian lovingly drying her locks and allowed herself to feel her sorrow for just a minute. She had to be strong. She had to get herself out of this. In the bureau, she found a couple of large, shapeless house dresses. She had just dressed when she heard the ladder drop again.

Think, Ana, think.

Jack stripped the bed of the wet sheets and ordered Ana to help him put on the clean ones. Then he told her to put out her wrists again. She forced herself to bring up tears.

"It won't be forever, Ana….just until I can trust you. I won't tie you to the frame again and I'll leave a couple of feet of slack so that you can feed and wash yourself. I don't know how often I'll be able to get back to you. The good news is that your husband's men found the grave where Ian buried your mother and they think that it's you."

Ana's heart both sank and yet remained resolute that she was truly on her own. For Jack's benefit, she began to cry. He looked at her skeptically.

"I didn't expect tears. You'd forgotten her, I thought, and Ian told me that she was beastly toward you. God, he hated her. You don't remember, of course, that he brought you over to our house after one of her attacks on you. You were beautiful even then. I fell for you immediately. You were so sweet and docile that I knew that you'd be perfect for me. I had plans, Ana. I didn't expect you to win that scholarship to Harvard. I was counting on Ian leaving home and I would then offer you a better life than you could ever have with your parents. As soon as you graduated from high school, I was going to approach you, offer to take care of you. You wouldn't have had to work at the local diner in Montesano. I'd get you a nice apartment in Portland, a car, a wardrobe, take you on nice trips, too.

"Yeah, that five years at Harvard really threw me. Who knew you were smart? I hired private eyes to watch you, keep track of you…bring me pictures. God, you just got prettier as time went on."

Jack reached out to caress Ana's cheek. She shrank away from him but he seemed to expect that. He wasn't angry. He indicated that she should sit and hold out her wrists. He kept to his word, leaving the ties slack and looser around her wrists.

"Of course, when you married Grey, I was stunned. I thought that he was gay, for Christ's sake," Jack laughed. "Then I figured that you were just his beard…until it hit me. He wanted you, all right…to be his submissive. I got really mad then. You were meant to be mine, not his. I hunted down a couple of his ex-subs and pumped them for info. They had signed his NDAs but they talked anyway. They thought that he was a great Dom but from what they told me, I knew that he failed them miserably. He was too lenient with them. They wanted beatings. He gave them slaps.

"I made an effort to get to know his pimp, Elena Lincoln. She was furious…said that he'd dumped her in favor of you."

Ana frowned. What was Jack talking about? How could she be a beard? And Christian always shaved anyway. What was a submissive? NDAs? Dom? She did know about pimps, tho'. Did Christian use prostitutes? And who was Elena Lincoln?

Jack saw the questions in Ana's eyes. He smiled to himself. She didn't remember or maybe had never known. Disillusioning her about Grey was going to be easier than he thought.

"I know that we have a lot to talk about but it will have to wait until next time. I want to clean up the blood stains first."

"Blood!" Ana cried.

"Oh, yeah. I know that you didn't have any feelings for my son…broke his heart. He was sure that he could earn your forgiveness. In fact, it was Ian who planned to kidnap you _and_ the kid. I couldn't let him have what was mine, of course. And after his mother died, he was more useless than ever. I thought about letting him do the dirty work but I knew that he'd just screw it up and spoil any chance for me. It wasn't easy to shoot him but it was a little like putting a dumb animal out of its misery. And after he'd grabbed Carla and buried her, well, he just set the whole thing up perfectly for me.

"Now, Grey thinks you're dead and Ian killed himself. We'll stay here until I've deprogrammed you and then we can move to a sweet little place I have in Mexico, right on the coast. You'll see, Ana. You're going to love being mine."

"You killed your own son?" Ana was aghast.

"I did it for you, Ana. That should show you how badly I want you. He's in a better place now, anyway," Jack began to laugh. "Across the rainbow bridge, in puppy dog heaven," he sang manically. Ana clearly saw the madman beneath the calm exterior. How long would it be before he tired of attempting to "deprogram" his new pet? Or, more to the point, how far would Ana have to go to convince him that he had?

CHAPTER 53

Jack Hyde saw the horror in Ana's eyes. This confused him. It took him several moments to understand that she was shocked that he had killed his son, that she was shocked that he would laugh about it.

"Did you have feelings for Ian?" he asked angrily.

"Absolutely not," said Ana. "I perceived his interest in me and I was disgusted. I don't know why I was repulsed by him but I was. He called me, asked me for a date! I firmly refused." Not quite the truth but close enough and evidently quite pleasing to Jack.

"Good. I can't imagine why you'd like him after what he did to you. I should think that you'd want to applaud his death."

"I didn't care for him but why would I applaud your killing him?" puzzled Ana.

"Huh. I guess it wasn't all a lie, then," said Jack. "Grey and Taylor told me that you'd awakened with no memory but I wasn't sure if they were telling me the truth. Beats all….they were! Truth isn't something I'd expect from those two."

"Jack, I'm baffled. What are you telling me about Ian?"

"He raped you," Jack bluntly replied.

Ana gasped. "He what?!"

"Of course, this was a long time ago. You were a freshman in high school and Jack was a senior. He took a shine to you because you were pretty and shy…someone who didn't scare my weakling son. Even though he was a jock, captain and quarterback of the football team, he was still frightened of girls. You were tiny and shy and he felt superior to you.

"He brought you home to meet Doreen, his mother, on your _first_ date…if you can believe that. He wanted her approval. Doreen liked your lack of self-esteem and your fear of her. He took you out several times and then invited you to the senior prom. Quite the honor. All the cheerleaders were mad that he'd chosen you but he knew that he could manipulate you. That made him feel manly.

He came home in the morning, shaken up and angry. Said that he'd taken you to a real nice hotel to have prom sex and you'd fought him and then left before he woke up. Doreen beat him with a broomstick because he didn't use a condom. She warned him that you'd better not be knocked up. She didn't want your white trash baby in our fancy family."

"Did _you_?" Ana could scarcely believe what she was hearing. Why hadn't Christian ever told her about this?

"I didn't particularly care one way or the other. I'd already decided on you. I was planning on leaving behind a wife, a son, a law practice and a country. A baby was just one more thing.

"Anyway, sure enough, you were knocked up. Ian, the fool, wanted to keep the baby. Wanted to marry you! Jesus, Doreen just about went crazy. She contacted a doctor who knew to keep his mouth shut and paid him to abort the brat. She was so pissed that we had to pay for the abortion that she called your mother and demanded that the Steeles pay half.

"I could hear your mother's half of the screaming match from across the room. She threatened to have Ian arrested for statutory rape and that shut Doreen up good.

She never forgot, though. Never stopped worrying that Carla would ruin the Wentworth's good name. That's why she came after you all those years later. I thought it was crazy. It was a decade later and the statute of limitations was up.

"What do you mean that Doreen came after me?" Ana head was buzzing by now.

"Boy, Grey didn't tell you anything, did he? He just lied and lied. He didn't tell you that Doreen cornered you up at that chalet of his in Aspen and tried to kill you?…except that Taylor blew her brains out first. I was a little peeved at first but I guess that he actually did me a favor."

Ana was speechless. Rape, abortion, attempt on her life….maybe Christian just didn't want to burden her with painful truths that she could never remember anyway. Still, what else had he kept from her?

Jack was soon to tell her…and he was relishing it.

Christian sat beside the metal table, holding the cold hard hand of the woman lying under the white sheet. Suddenly she sat up, the sheet falling away and revealing a head with no face. Christian screamed.

His eyes shot open. The pillow was soaked. Trev was still sleeping peacefully beside him. He realized with relief that his scream was only in the nightmare. He quietly eased himself out of the bed and crept into the en suite where he sank to the floor and sobbed.

It was nearly dawn…another gray dawn. Grey forced himself to get up and get dressed for a run. Taylor objected due to safety concerns but Grey overruled him. In truth, he didn't care about his own safety. He needed to run until his lungs burst. He pounded the pavement for miles, his injured leg throbbing with pain, but couldn't seem to outrun his fear and heartache. He ran until his legs gave out. He dragged himself over to a bench and sat there, staring. He wanted to think about Ana because thoughts of her always brought him peace but today they brought him only pain.

What if _Ana_ was in pain? What if Ana was waiting for him to come to her? But mostly, what if she wasn't either of those things? Could he go back to being just Trev's dad? The overwhelming ache in his chest took his strength from him. He couldn't abandon his little boy but he felt himself shriveling into a husk of his former self.

Finally, he forced himself to his feet and walked slowly home. Trev would be up soon…if he wasn't already. He'd want his mother. He'd want his daddy. And he wouldn't understand why they'd both left him. Ana…God, Ana…wherever you are, help me. I'm so weak. I can't hold on. Help me, please.

"Daddy!" Trev ran up to his father and hugged his legs. It took every ragged breath he had left to power through a greeting to his son.

"Good morning, Trev. Did you sleep okay?"

"I had bad dreams, Daddy, about the man. Is Mommy home yet?"

"No, son. Mommy isn't back yet. We have to keep waiting. Did you have breakfast?"

"Daddy, Aunt Gail let me have cereal. That's wrong, isn't it, Daddy?"

"No, not today, son. Cereal is okay. I'll have some, too."

Gail had not slept either. She had been crying, he could see. He embraced her…whether to gain strength from her or lend his, he didn't know.

"Jason has been on the phone for an hour, looking for information. Your mother already called. Elliot left after you fell asleep. He said that he'd be back this afternoon. Everyone else is staying at Grey Manor…just waiting. I think that we're all about to crack into a million pieces. Did you get any sleep at all, Christian?"

"Yes…filled with horrible dreams. We've got to get some word today…anything to keep us going."

Taylor entered the room. He called Grey aside as Trev gulped down his cereal.

"Sir, my men have been all over the woods, in ever widening circles. They've found nothing. That could be good news. I also checked with the hospital. They're beginning the autopsy this morning. Perhaps we'll know the identity of our Jane Doe soon. The DNA will not clear for at least 72 hours yet."

"72 hours is three days. Why did I pay them a small fortune to rush it?" whined Grey.

"Because 72 hours _is_ rushing it, sir. We might learn more from the autopsy."

Ana woke to the sound of the hatch creaking open and the ladder dropping to the concrete floor. She'd had a bad night. Her unconscious wasn't as brave as her conscious self. It was filled with bad dreams…of Christian believing her to be dead, giving up on finding her and then giving up on living.

"Jack, I've having trouble breathing. I need my inhalers. Down here in this cold room I could die. I need you to bring me several inhalers if I'm to be down here for a long time. Please?"

"If I'm being watched, it would look suspicious if I purchased inhalers." He felt torn between protecting his catch and protecting himself. However, he could see that Ana was getting paler by the minute and gasping for breath. He couldn't lose her just when he'd gotten her back. He'd have to find a way.

"All right, Ana. I'll go shopping. Try to relax and hold on until I return."

Ana groaned and struggled for breath, rolling over in the bed. She could think of nothing now besides staying alive long enough to escape.

CHAPTER 54

"Well, can you tell me anything….anything at all?" begged an increasingly desperate Taylor. The autopsy had started that morning, he was told, but examiners were being particularly careful to avoid giving him even slightly inaccurate information. If they screwed up a procedure involving multibillionaire Christian Grey, they feared his vengeance. It was ironic that his status, in this case, worked against him.

Meanwhile, Grey was reading a bedtime story to his son…a very gloomy Trevelyan Grey. Trev had asked for his mother a thousand times in the past days. He didn't understand what "missing" meant. He asked his Dad to have the bad man return her. When told that his father didn't know who the man was, Trev thought it a simple matter to have Taylor find out. It was all just too much for a little boy to understand, especially a child used to a father wealthy enough to make anything happen.

"Daddy, will Mommy be here in the morning to help me get ready for school?"

"Hey, that's _my_ job, isn't it?" Christian teased. He was barely holding it together even as he tried to appease his son.

"Yes, Daddy," sighed Trev. "Mommy will take me to school, won't she?"

"No, son. I'm so sorry but I don't think that Mommy will be home yet but I haven't given up. I won't give up."

"You. Will. Find. Mommy?" Trev remembered how his mother had assured him that Daddy would come for him. Maybe if he said it the same way….

Christian could feel himself about to break. He crushed his son to him. Trev didn't object. He seemed to understand that his daddy was in turmoil. He patted his father's face. "Mommy be home soon, Daddy. Don't worry." He kissed his father and then curled under the covers. It had been a very trying day. The oppressive atmosphere in his home, the tension, had worn him down.

In the kitchen, Taylor wrapped his arms around his wife. She'd been shouldering much of the weight of the days…playing with Trev until Elliot arrived in the afternoon, making meals that no one could eat, checking on Christian who'd entombed himself in his study and encouraging Taylor to keep working any angle he could imagine. She couldn't remember a longer day since the day that Ana had slipped into a coma. She let Taylor hold her and comfort her. She would have to do it all again tomorrow while sick with the knowledge that Ana might not be coming back this time.

Ana had not been able to catch her breath and had, thus, passed out. When Jack returned, he found her lying still, so still, and for a few moments feared the worst. He jostled her shoulder, calling her name, relieved to see her eyes open.

For Ana, there was no relief, however, as her eyes saw her captor standing over her. She closed her eyes and tried to find her way back into the dream she'd been having of her home, her family.

"Ana! Wake up!" Jack ordered her. He threw the bag of inhalers on top of her in a fit of pique. He'd taken a big chance buying them and she'd better start inhaling. Ana struggled to a sitting position on the bed. She knew that she had to pretend to be grateful to stave off his anger. She put on an expression of relief and ripped open a box. She sucked deep on the inhaler and then smiled at Jack.

"Thank you, Jack. I must have passed out. I do that after an attack."

"I hope that the risk I took was worth it. Don't have any more attacks. I'm not going to be able to shop for these again," Jack growled.

Ana didn't let on that his command that she not "have any more attacks" was ridiculous. She simply nodded acquiescence. Her obedience pleased him. He was a Dom, after all. This was a good sign, he thought, that she would be easy to train. He couldn't wait until the first time he whipped her and she cried out. The sooner she understood that her job in life was only to please him, the better. He could hardly believe that his long wait was coming to an end.

"Jack," Ana tried for time, "is there anything else you can tell me about Christian or was that everything?"

Jack grinned. Oh, there was more, all right. And this information would bring the Grey's relationship to an end. Ana would be disgusted and by the time she saw that her relationship with Jack would be even worse, it would be too late to turn back.

"Yes, Ana," he assumed an air of sympathy for her for what she was about to learn.

"I'm afraid that it won't be pleasant for you to hear but I can't allow you to go on believing the lies that man told you. I care too much for you, my dear.

"When you met Grey, he let you believe that he was a normal man. He let you believe that he loved you but he only wanted to use you."

"Use me how?" Ana all but batted her eyes at Jack….even as she pictured him covered in blood.

"Grey is a practitioner of a form of sexual deviancy called BDSM. It stands for bondage, discipline, sadism and masochism. He gets his rocks off by tying women up in rope and handcuffs and anything that pleases him. He sets up a list of rules that a woman has to obey, no matter how restrictive…like not looking him in the eye, for instance, or crying when he beats her…and when she can't help but disobey, he punishes her. He's the sadist who enjoys inflicting pain and, supposedly, the woman is the masochist who enjoys being hurt. Before you, he had a series of Dom/sub relationships but as his fortune grew, so did interest in his private life. He set out to find a permanent sub…and he found you."

Ana didn't have to fake shock at this explanation. She truly felt it. This was lunacy. Christian was the gentlest man she'd ever known…well, as long as she'd been awake, of course.

"You must be mistaken, Jack. Christian has never hurt me and would never."

"At first, he was kind to you, yes. That's how he reeled you in. He made you believe that he wanted to take care of you. Then, bit by bit, he introduced you to BDSM in small ways. For instance, he'd blindfold you and then bring you to orgasm. Then he'd blindfold you and stroke you lightly with a leather flogger. Advances to stronger and harsher methods of physical control would inure you to the pain of it all. As time passed, you became accustomed to being tied and beaten and raped. You were a naïve virgin, Ana, and he convinced you that this was simply normal sex. He kept you away from others and surrounded by thugs that he called bodyguards but they were just meant to keep you from talking to other women or reading things online that would reveal the truth to you."

"But I've been awake for a long time now and now of that has happened. We have normal sex…a lot of it…but normal. If he wanted to do all those things to me, what is he waiting for?"

"It's coming, Ana. It is coming. He wants to ensure that he has you completely hooked first. He even acquired a child that he convinced you is yours to bind you to him. Soon he will begin retraining you…asking you to please him in small ways and then building to long sessions in his dungeon." Jack was pleased to see the alarm in Ana's eyes.

Wow, thought Ana, this guy is really a loon. He expects me to believe him so I'll have to act the part but I can't do it too soon. I have to make him work for it.

Jack saw Ana's eyes flash with anger. It was what he'd expected from her…. disbelief and loyalty to Grey.

"This sounds crazy, Jack. I don't know who told you these things but I'm surprised that you would believe such nuttiness."

"I heard it from the dominatrix who trained him…first to be a submissive and then to be a dominant. Her name was Elena Lincoln. She took him under her wing when he was just 15. She said that he was a natural born dominant. That particular quality of leadership is what helped him to grow a company like GEH. Elena ran a couple of BDSM clubs in Seattle before my wife killed her."

Jack smirked at the startled look on Ana's face.

"This woman, this Elena, was murdered by your wife? Why?"

"Doreen thought that Elena was my mistress. I was only talking to Mrs. Lincoln to get the goods on Grey. This was several years ago when I was working to get you free of him. Mrs. Lincoln was going to get pictures for me of Grey with all the submissives he used up before you.

"Eventually, before I could get you away from him, you despaired and found the only way out that you could. You simply lost your mind. You literally went to sleep to escape Grey."

"You want me to believe that my son is not mine and my husband is a sadist and that you kidnapped me to save me? You brought me to this tomb and tied me up to _help_ me?" Ana hoped that she wasn't pushing Jack too far but she supposed that this was the reaction that he expected. He undoubtedly had another ace or two up his sleeve and she intended to let him play them before she sadly and tearfully succumbed to his heroic intentions.

She was beginning to form a plan in her head to get herself out of this mess but she needed Jack to trust her, to believe that she was his now.

She waited for his next revelation.

CHAPTER 55

Christian stood on the balcony, looking down over the railing. He figured it was 30 seconds to the pavement below….30 seconds to Ana. As he leaned further into the air, a heavy hand rested on his shoulder.

"Christian," said Elliot, "Taylor wants to talk in your study. He's got some good news. Don't jump just yet," Elliot said wryly. He put his arm around his broken brother and led him into his study.

Christian sat down and stared blankly at his security chief and friend.

"What good news, Taylor? Is Ana going to walk through those doors in the next minute, eh?"

"I just got word from that technician I gave my card to at the hospital. He sounded exhausted. His team must have worked round the clock."

"Worked on what?" Grey wasn't thinking clearly.

"The autopsy, sir, the autopsy. It's only preliminary results but he seemed pretty sure that the Jane Doe is not a young woman. Judging from bone density and lungs more akin to a heavy smoker, he doesn't believe that it could be Ana."

Elliot let a hearty, relieved "YES! Now we're getting somewhere. Excuse me, bro. I have to call Kate."

However, Christian couldn't let himself get his hopes up. "Ana is asthmatic. Wouldn't that age her lungs?"

"Smoker lungs are blackened. The lungs of an asthmatic are inflamed, narrowed. The appearance is completely different. The tech also told me that the early bone density tests indicate the bones of a woman in her late 40s or early 50s.

"The odds of this Jane Doe being Ana are slim to none. And there is something else. On a hunch, I called Ray Steele. He said that he hasn't seen Carla in over a week.

"Reynolds showed me the films of Carla's visit here with Ana when she brought Ian with her. She was verbally abusive toward Ana and Ian spoke up. He didn't like it."

Christian was sitting up straight now, color in his cheeks.

"You're thinking that Ian killed Carla. If he did, he'd want to protect Ana. But wait. That doesn't explain why he'd kill himself unless he didn't have Ana to protect anymore." Christian grabbed his hair and began to pace.

"We're right back where we started, Taylor. Ana's kidnapper is dead so what has he done with Ana?"

"Let's keep our heads clear, Christian. We're sure now that that dead woman is not Ana. This is a good thing."

Unfortunately, the hope Christian had felt for a bit was now dwindling again.

"We have to keep thinking. We're missing something, something obvious. We're just too tired to see it. Please try to rest. We have no evidence indicating that Ana is dead so we move forward on the premise that she is being kept somewhere. Perhaps Ian had an accomplice who turned on him." Taylor steered Grey toward his bedroom. Then he went into the security office and told Reynolds to watch Christian on the monitors.

"Do you really think that Grey might take his own life, sir?" asked Reynolds.

"Well, I sure didn't like the way he was admiring the view from the balcony. He's a man about to break. We have to protect him from himself."

Taylor hadn't slept more than a couple of hours in days. He had to get his own head clear. He was overlooking something important.

Ana couldn't breathe. She was struggling to remain calm. She was wheezing as she stumbled around a dark room, looking for an inhaler.

Christian shot awake. Ana didn't have her inhaler with her! That's the something that they were forgetting!

"Taylor! Taylor!" Christian pounded on Taylor's door until he answered looking completely wasted. He flung it open, glaring at his boss. "Her inhaler! She doesn't have an inhaler with her. If whoever has her wanted to keep her alive, he'd have to buy inhalers!" Christian's eyes were open so wide that he looked crazed….but he was right.

Taylor donned his robe and told Gail to try to get back to sleep. He grabbed his phone and Grey's arm and headed for the study. Elliot was already here, bleary-eyed but awakened by Grey's yelling.

"Jason! Did you hear me?!" Grey yelled again.

"Yes. Keep your voice down. Elliot, take care of your brother."

"Com' on, Chris," he whispered to Grey, "you've got a little mania going on there. Settle here on the couch while we watch your brilliant security chief work his magic, okay?" Grey nodded rapidly as he sat down. Elliot gently removed his brother's hands from his hair and rubbed his back.

"Welsh. Yeah, **me**. Who else gets you up in the middle of the night? Whad'ya mean, you didn't know it was the middle of the night? I swear you're part vampire.

"Listen, Grey had a thought. Whoever has Ana has to supply her with inhalers if he wants to keep her alive and she's smart enough to make that clear to her kidnapper. So, he'd have to go shopping. We get Albuterol for her at CVS. Yeah, any CVS has her prescription. I figure that the kidnapper would hit a 24/7 drugstore in the Portland area and he'd do it at night. Okay. Yeah. ASAP, of course. Elliot caught him taking in the air off the balcony earlier."

Taylor rang off and turned to his audience. "Okay. Welsh is going to do what Welsh does and get back to us fast. If the kidnapper bought or tried to buy inhalers, Welsh will find him on tape. We have to be patient for a little while. I suppose that it would be too much to ask you to get some more rest, Christian."

"_You_ get some rest, Taylor," Grey sneered.

"Okay, okay. Let's not snarl at the man who keeps you alive, bro. We'll all just sit here _calmly_ until Welsh gets back to us." In truth, Elliot's stomach was churning but he had to be composed for his brother. His heart went out to him. He'd been through so much with Ana. Not her fault, of course, but Elliot figured maybe God was squaring accounts for Grey's lack of belief and for his BDSM days. Elliot did think, however, that God was laying it on a little thick.

Naturally, the time dragged. Grey kept poking at Taylor to call Welsh back. Taylor kept urging Elliot to keep his little brother under control but Taylor took a literal poke at him. Elliot kept forcing Christian to sit back down.

It was dawn before the phone rang.

"What do you have, Welsh? Okay, send it through to Grey's laptop in his study. We'll take a look at it….and, Welsh? Thanks, buddy."

"Welsh is sending a tape of a man buying a dozen inhalers at a CVS last night. He had to hack into the total system of all CVS stores in that area and scan hours of tape. He said to tell you, "no bill". He likes Ana."

All three men peered closely as the taped images came up on the screen. There was a man wearing a fedora and a long, dark coat standing at the pharmacy window. He was almost dancing around with nervousness, realizing that he was taking a chance.

"Welsh spoke to the pharmacist. He clearly remembers the man because he was so nervous and threatening at the same time. Welsh couldn't get us a picture of the man's face. He wants us to send him a picture of any possible suspect so his man can show it to the druggist.

"Any possible suspect." Grey fell back onto the couch. "He's dead," he despaired.

CHAPTER 56

"Look," said Elliot, "things are not as bad as they seem. In fact, they're looking up. We're just too rundown and afraid to see it. A few days ago, Trev and Ana were taken. We got Trev back, unharmed. We were flummoxed about Ana's kidnapper and afraid for her safety until we thought of Ian. We were badly thrown by the discovery of a body that could possibly have been Ana and now we know that it was actually her mother. We can logically assume that Ian hated Ana's mother and killed her…thus…thus, showing his love for Ana. So, now we can assume that he would not hurt Ana. Finding him dead threw us but someone risking exposure in order to get life-saving medication for Ana shows us that not only is she still alive and being cared for but she herself is actively working her own case! Not only has she not given up on being found but she is _helping_ us to find her!"

"Our mystery shopper," continued Taylor, "had to get to the drugstore somehow and was unlikely to take public transportation. I'll get Welsh to connect with the Portland PD to show us what they have on CCTV cameras posted in the area. The guy walked in, the guy walked out and maybe got into a vehicle with a license plate," Taylor reasoned as he pulled out his phone again and called Welsh.

As he explained to Welsh what they wanted done, Christian looked up at his big, goofy lug of a brother in awe.

"I don't know why you're surprised that I have working brain cells, Chris. I do run a multi-million dollar construction company, ya know. I make plans…for a living."

"I'm sorry, El. I've been a rotten brother to you. I've always assumed that we didn't have much in common because our personalities seem so different."

"Yeah, I'm fun and you're a poop," grinned Elliot. Christian actually grinned back and then took a deep breath. "You know, who's to say that Ian was in on this by himself? You heard Jack. Ian was a coward and lacking in common sense. Maybe he tapped into his mother's network of thugs and found someone to help him…someone who decided that they'd rather secure a ransom than spirit a woman away just for the sake of love."

"Okay," said Taylor. "Welsh will get back to us, again, asap. He asked us to be patient while he secures the city tapes and then goes through them. Might be a couple of hours. Trev will be up in an hour or so and we should try to keep things semi-normal for his sake. Breakfast together and taking him to school."

"He asked me last night if his mother would be here in the morning to do those things with him. I had to tell him no. I hope that he remembers that talk. Otherwise, I'll have to break his heart all over again. I'm going to go up and get into bed with him. I'm feeling a bit more hopeful. Maybe I'll be able to nap some before he wakes.

"Taylor, Elliot, thank you. I know that I haven't been easy to deal with since….well…"

"We're in the home stretch, bro. I can feel it. I'm going to Grey Manor to update everyone and see my family. I'll be back in a couple," Elliot promised as he took his leave.

"I'm going to talk to Gail and see if I can get a nap in, too. I'll come find you, Christian, when I have something." Taylor headed back to staff quarters.

Christian sat for a moment, thinking back over what his brother had said. He was right about Ana. She's smart and she's brave. I have to be the same. She's counting on me.

He climbed the stairs to his son.

Ana lay in the darkness of her bunker, going over and over the details of her plan. It really wasn't much of a plan. It was simple and she wasn't at all sure that she could pull it off. Would she be strong enough? Would Jack behave as she expected him to do?

She didn't know how long she'd been down in the bunker. She'd lost track of time. She probably should have made marks on the wall? No, that wouldn't have worked. It felt like quite some time but then perhaps that was just the deprivation…no light, no sound.

She'd been trying to control her breathing so that she could save the inhalers. There was no telling how long it would be before she got more. She thought of all the good things in her life….her husband…her son…her extended family. She couldn't give up when all that was home waiting for her.

She thought about all the things that Jack had revealed to her about Christian. Well, let him talk. She didn't care if Christian had behaved in unseemly ways prior to meeting her. The important thing was that he was a good man now. Yes, he was such a good man. Oh, and she missed him so.

She felt tears rolling down her cheeks. Christian wasn't the unfeeling terror Jack said that he was anymore. In fact, she knew that he was probably suffering more than her. She knew how easily he might fall apart without her. She had to get out of this hole, get back to him, take care of him.

She thought of going to the fridge to get some light before she remembered that Jack had taken the lightbulb out. He wanted her to be disoriented, weakened enough to swallow his lies. So, instead, she closed her eyes and dreamt of sunny days in the park with Christian and Trev. She concentrated on the sparkling waters of the Sound and the music of the waves as they played against the hull of the Grace.

Ana was teasing him. She did dearly love to get him riled up and then laugh at him as he raged around the house. Now she was dancing just beyond his reach and giggling as he swore. When he'd finally worn himself out chasing after her, she stopped and walked gracefully toward him. He stood stark still…as one would do at coming upon a fawn in the wood. He didn't want to frighten her away so he contented himself with simply watching her.

She was wearing a simple, gossamer gown of white. In the breeze, it fluttered about her lithe body as she approached him. She reached her hands up to his face and, holding him, gently kissed him, letting her tongue slide along his lips. He enveloped her in his arms, groaning as she pushed her tongue into his mouth and breathed in his air, his scent. Then she brought his head down to her and kissed his forehead as he burrowed into her shoulder. She was fragrant with the scents of lilac and apples….her hair, her skin.

"Love me, Christian. I need you. I crave you. I can never can enough of you. I'll always want more." Christian moaned as he lowered her slowly to the soft grass.

His eyes opened a crack, startled by the bright sun coming in the window. Trev had rolled over in his sleep and was now facing his father, buried in his chest. So much like Ana.

I'll bring her home soon, son. We're getting there.

He wanted to get up and pester Taylor for information but he knew that Taylor would alert him the second he heard from Welsh. For now, at least, he knew that Ana was indeed alive and relatively safe. That was so much more than they'd had since she'd been taken.

"Daddy?" asked a sleepy Trev.

"You're awake, eh? How do you feel this morning, my baby boy?"

"I not baby, Daddy. I almost four years old. Big boy."

"Of course," Grey smiled. "What kind of birthday celebration do you what this year?"

"Just one with Mommy. Otherwise, nothing."

"Well, Mommy will be at your party so you'd better start thinking of the details."

"What are 'details', Daddy?"

"Oh, all the big and little things that will go into making it the best party ever."

"Oh. Then, just Mommy…and cake…and ice cream and maybe we go out on the boat? Just us, Daddy?"

"That sounds like a wonderful party, Trev. You don't have to get up for school for a while yet. Do you want to sleep some more?"

"Yeah. I dream of Mommy."

Christian kissed his little boy's cheek and held him closer. He decided that he'd try to sleep some more, too…so that he could also dream of Mommy.

CHAPTER 56

When Elliot arrived back at Grey Manor, he found his mother sitting up in a chair watching over his sleeping wife on the couch. He kissed his mother's head and asked why she was up at such an hour.

"Kate wouldn't go to your room without you. Then sleeping here on the couch, she had nightmares. I decided to stay with her until you came home. She needs looking after almost as much as Christian. I'm only beginning to glean how much Kate loves Ana and all the pain she's gone through because of Ana's troubles."

"I know. I sometimes forget how important Ana is to Kate. Sometimes I think Ana is more important than me….although Kate assures me that that isn't so. She calls me her "savings grace".

But I know that Ana was there first. Not just first but Ana gave her love and confidence and security. I try to do the same. I hope I succeed."

"I'm sure that you do. You must be exhausted trying to help Kate and Christian. How is he doing?"

"Better…by the time I left. Awful…when I arrived. I found him on the balcony, looking down. I had to pull him away and lock the balcony door behind us. Scared the bejesus out of me."

"Do you think that he was actually contemplating jumping?" asked a horrified Grace.

"That's the impression I got. You know, Mom, I've always thought of Christian as this man with one emotion…anger. Remember how he used to go after me. I was twice his size and two years older but he'd tear into me, screaming for my blood. Then you'd make us both go to our rooms. Once he quieted down, he'd knock real softly on my door and then slide a note under it. The note said just "I'm sorry". I collected them. They're still in my old room I bet.

"But that was pre-Ana. It was amazing. It was like overnight he became a human being instead of a genius automaton who could make money as easily as the rest of us could breathe. He told me once, after a bourbon or two, that coming here one day with Ana, he looked up and realized that he had a family. And now, well, you could see him actually brighten a bit when I went over to the penthouse to be with him."

"You said that he was better by the time you left. Did something happen?" asked Grace, hopefully.

"Yeah, a couple of things. First, the autopsy preliminary results came in. They showed that the body from the grave couldn't be Ana's. Taylor called Ray Steele who told him that Carla had up and left him a few days earlier. You see…the Jane Doe is Carla."

Grace began to cry and Kate woke up. "Elliot, oh, my god. Elliot" Kate reached for him and he left his mother to embrace his wife. "It's okay, sweetheart. The body in the grave was Carla Steele, not Ana. And there's more…"

By now Carrick and Mia had awoken and come down the stairs.

"What's going on, Elliot?" asked a distressed Mia, who quickly put her arms around Grace. "Why is Mom crying?"

Carrick stood tall and quiet. "Just be straight with us, son."

"Taylor heard from the hospital. The Jane Doe isn't Ana. It's Carla Steele."

Carrick sank to his knees and put his face in his hand. "Thank god. I can't say that I feel badly for Carla. In fact, maybe her loss is the best thing for Ray."

"There's more, Dad. After we'd all gone to bed, I woke to the sound of Chris pounding on a door and yelling for Taylor. I ran down the stairs and he was yelling that Ana needs her inhaler. Don't you see? It was a lead and Taylor ran with it. He called Welsh and Welsh and his merry band scoured Portland and the surrounding area for CVS drugstores because they have Ana's prescription for Albuterol. Taylor's hunch paid off. Welsh found the store where a guy, using Ana's name, asked for several inhalers. Unfortunately, the tape didn't show enough to ID the guy but the druggist says that if we have a picture of our suspects, he'd be able to point him out."

"Do we have pictures of any suspects?" asked Carrick.

"No, our only suspect is dead. That sent Chris right back to the bottom until I pointed out that we now know that Ana is alive AND being cared for as well. It's possible that Ian had an accomplice who decided that a ransom for Ana was more valuable that Ian's affection for her. While we wait for that call, Welsh is going to get the tapes for any city cameras in the area of the drugstore. And that's where things stand now.

"Ana is definitely alive."

Kate clung to Elliot, sniffling. Everyone else smiled. This was the first good news they'd had in days. It was hopeful news. It was full of possibilities. Carrick, Grace and Mia mounted the stairs to get some rest. Elliot sat on the couch with his wife for a while.

"Do you feel a little better, baby?" he asked.

"Yes, I do. If he bought Ana the inhalers she needs, that means that he's probably feeding her, making certain that she's warm and safe. And to know that the Jane Doe with her face blown off ISN'T Ana means everything. I've been having dreams, Elliot. I really don't know what I would have done if that body had been…."Kate began sniffling again.

Elliot picked her up and carried her to the guest room that they were using. There he prepared a warm bath and gently undressed his wife before lowering her into the water. Then he took off his own clothes and climbed in behind Kate, wrapping his arms around her. She leaned back against him, her arms over his.

Elliot had been madly, almost obsessively in love with Kate from the first moment he rounded the side of the bar booth, shifting his eyes from Ana to her companion so fast it made him a bit dizzy. He'd been a bit dizzy ever since. He'd tried to tell her often how much he loved her but he knew that she had a hard time believing him. The only love for her that Kate was absolutely sure of was Ana's. It was hard for Elliot, sometimes, to live with her doubts but he had no choice.

He had never thought much about his parent's and Mia's love for him. He just took it for granted. It had always been there. Even though he'd watched his parents worry constantly over Christian while growing up, he was never jealous. He understood. And Mia? She fussed over Christian and screamed with delight when he came into view but that never bothered Elliot. He came over to the house every day to eat breakfast and pick up the lunch Margaret had packed for him. It was hours before Mia liked to get up but a day rarely passed that she didn't wander into the kitchen to berate him for mooching. Then she'd talk with him while he ate and go back to bed after he left. Yes, Mia loved him.

He chose to believe that his little brother loved him, too…as well as he was able. He didn't seem to know how to show his feelings but Ana changed all that. Now, he and Chris talked and sometimes wrestled while Grace laughed and Carrick scowled at grown men behaving so childishly. Yes, with Ana's arrival, despite his parent's early misgivings about her, everything changed.

After their bath, Elliot toweled dried his wife and carried her to bed. He made tender, gentle love to her…thinking only of her needs. As they drifted off, Kate murmured "I love you, El". She was asleep before he could reply but he smiled. She knew how he felt. He thanked the gods of love for giving him someone he could be so crazy about. From listening to his crew and male friends, he knew that the depth of love he felt was a gift.

He wrapped himself tightly around his wife, her curly head against his chest and his lips on her hair.

As it happened, in the hours before dawn, Ana was awake and thinking about all she had to live for.

She needed to do that to keep herself sane and concentrated on the present. Not knowing what day it was, what time it was, she struggled to keep her brain on the here and now. She'd been over and over her plan, such as it was, to escape from Jack. But she also needed to think about all that she had to get back to as well.

I have a family, she smiled to herself. Yes, it was a family by marriage but it was hers nonetheless. She didn't consider Carla or Ray Steele to be her family. She disliked Carla intensely and Ray? Well, he was a sad figure. She didn't hate him. She just didn't know him anymore.

Ana thought of how much she loved Trev, the little boy she'd only know a short time. She couldn't imagine abandoning him to evil beings as Ray had done to her. Ray, she thought, must be deeply damaged inside.

She thought of Gail and Grace who both mothered her. At first, when they touched her or did things for her or talked with her, she didn't understand why. She'd never known mothering. When she woke up, she asked Christian why these women were so loving with her. He told her that to them, Ana was a daughter.

And Kate and Mia were also a puzzle at first. Again, Christian explained that to Mia, Ana was a sister, an adored sister. And Kate was her best friend who had loved her for years. At times, sitting in the family room, Ana would cuddle into Christian and just look around the room at all she had. Sometimes, she was overcome with such strong emotions for these people that she'd have to go to another room and hide. Invariably, Kate and Mia would come find her and tell her stories of all she'd done to earn their love. And, silently, Ana would vow to herself that she would continue to do all she could to deserve their love.

As she lay there in the dark, she thought that she heard a noise….a bird singing. No, that was impossible. She was working so hard to think of the beautiful days to come that she'd imagined the song of a lark. She closed her eyes again and listened to it sing and smiled. Soon, she would be home again…home with her wonderful family.

CHAPTER 57

Trev and Christian had eaten breakfast together in happy moods for the first time in days. Christian wondered what Ana was eating…_if_ Ana was eating. However, he was trying hard to be in the moment for Trev's sake. He missed his Mommy but he couldn't comprehend the danger she was in. He'd just ask, often and plaintively, when his Mommy was coming home. Then he'd see the sadness in his father's eyes and he'd pat his daddy's cheek.

"It okay, Daddy, you good company, too," he'd say. He couldn't know how much _his_ company meant to Christian.

This morning Christian decided to take Trev to school himself and Trev was thrilled. He truly liked all the security men and he was certainly used to them…but they weren't Daddy. His classmates sometimes inquired about the multitude of strange men in suits who brought Trev to class. _Their_ fathers rarely dropped them off, except for the men who worked in the Grey building anyway. Those children didn't have security surrounding them. Even today, with his father bringing him to school, Ryan or Baxter or Levin would remain…on watch…protecting the little boy. They would just stand in their dark suits, keeping vigil. Trev explained that the men would take care of all of them and that they never had to worry about anything bad happening. So, the children would smile and wave and color.

As Christian drove through the rare sunshine of the Seattle morning, he looked at the deep blue sky and the few puffy white clouds. He'd have to make certain that Trev got out to the park today. He wondered what Ana's morning was like or if she even got to see daylight. He suspected that her captor kept her in the dark. As soon as he got her back, he was going to take her to an exotic locale where it was always sunny and the sky was always blue. Some place where no one knew Christian Grey, multibillionaire wunderkind and when people stared, it was only because Ana was so breathtakingly beautiful.

He quickly wiped away the tear that threatened to roll down his cheek.

Back at Grey Manor, as the sun shone through her window, Mia woke up uncharacteristically early. She didn't like it. Now she would have to find something to do with herself. She only slept in because she had no occupation, no resolve, no interest beyond cooking really. Ethan wouldn't be available to amuse her until evening. Sometimes, even Mia herself would wonder what her parents could be thinking to let their 27 year-old daughter go on living under her parent's roof, contributing nothing, going nowhere.

It wasn't that Grace and Carrick didn't notice. What they noticed more was the effect that Ana's coma had wrought in their baby girl. Four years ago, she seemed to finally be getting it together…thanks to Ana's tutelage. Mia and Ana had, with Christian's help, put together a business plan for a gourmet bakery with a small adjacent shop where people could come to eat Mia's exquisite and original pastries while they sipped cocoas and cappuccinos. Christian had found an available space near his office and, with all the businesses and shopping nearby, he thought that Mia could really succeed.

But then Trev was born and Ana went to sleep. Mia's self-confidence disappeared and she threw herself into being Trev's mother figure. Grace and Carrick sent her to counselors but the verdict was always the same. Mia was grieving intensely….as intensely, in her own way, as Christian and Kate. She'd lost her champion. It wasn't a waste, however, because Mia gave her all to Trev. Grace was his grandmother. Kate had a daughter and a job. Mia was the only person besides Gail to be able to give Trev her complete attention.

Mia was just beginning to come back to herself the past few months. Knowing that Ana did not know her was quite painful but as time had gone on, she told Ana about their meeting, their talks. She explained how Ana had helped her so much to grow up and that when Ana left her life, Mia was again adrift. Ana had listened and asked if she could be Mia's big sister again and said that she would work hard to help Mia once more. It took some time for the new normal to feel comfortable and then that monster took Ana and Mia sank into a severe depression.

She spent most of the day in bed. Ethan was frustrated trying to get her out of the house and into life but Mia didn't see the point.

Thus, another morning dawned. Another day knowing that Ana was gone and might not be coming back. Even the hope that Elliot offered last night did nothing for Mia's mood. She was a sweet, kind and loving soul but not strong. She needed someone to guide her, to encourage her. She'd always been that way. She knew it about herself and she hoped that Ana could teach her how to be strong but the time had flown and the lesson had never come.

Groaning at the bright sun coming in her window, Mia cussed at herself for not drawing the curtains the night before. It was just that sunlight was so rare that she was unaccustomed to blocking it out. She threw the curtains together and crawled back into bed. She lay there, unable to return to the peace of sleep. That was one good thing. Mia could always sleep…no matter what was going on in her life.

Today, however, something was scratching at her brain. The itch was relentless. Was it something that she couldn't remember? It was making her a little crazy. Finally, she got up to take a shower. As the hot water poured over her, she found herself drawing circles on the steamed-over door. Then she started drawing eyes and noses and beards on the circles. She laughed. She continued with hats and eyebrows and glasses and then she added necks. It was fun. But when she stopped and got out of the shower, the itch was back. What could she have possibly forgotten?

She went downstairs to annoy Elliot while he ate his breakfast but he wasn't up yet,

"I don't think that he's going to work today, Mia," said Margaret. "He's sleeping in and then will probably go to his brother's again. I don't want you to think that I'm a nosy nelly but I did hear a bit of conversation last night and I gather that something good happened…to do with Mrs. Grey?"

"You're not being nosy, Margaret. You live here and what happens can affect you as well. It can't have been easy to live here this last week. We're all so gloomy."

"Oh, Mia, I don't mind. I wish that I could help more. There's only so much coffee I can make to keep you all going. Do you mind if I ask….I mean, about the news?"

"The body found in the shallow grave? The one with its face blown off? It wasn't Ana."

"OH, dos mios! I prayed and I prayed," Margaret exclaimed. "God listened. Oh, I'm so happy for you, Mia."

"There's more, Margaret. We have a small lead on the kidnapper but we need a picture to show to the druggist and we don't have one."

"You know, I watched the Law and Order and sometimes they have the witnesses describe the man and someone draws his face."

Mia felt her itch suddenly scratched. "Margaret, you're a genius. Thank you!" Mia kissed Margaret and ran to bang on Elliot's door. Clearly, she had interrupted something because Elliot yelled at her to go away.

"But I can get a picture of the kidnapper," Mia hollered back. She heard noises and then the door flew open to reveal a red-faced, sweaty, hair-tousled Elliot in his robe.

"What are you talking about?!"

"It was Margaret's idea. The police have sketch artists, don't they? The druggist can describe the man and the artist can draw him. It's certainly worth a try, isn't it?"

"It certainly is, lil sis," Elliot answered, kissing Mia on her forehead. Then he closed the door and hunted for his phone. He'd been getting dressed earlier to go over to Escala when his wife got frisky and his clothes went everywhere.

Elliot explained his hurried leaving to Kate who told him to shoo. As he came out of the bedroom, he nearly knocked Mia to the floor.

"I'm coming with you this time."

"Okay, get your coat. My little sister is a genius," Elliot gloated.

"No, your little sister's housekeeper is the genius," Mia reminded him.

"Margaret!" Elliot yelled. Margaret scurried out of the laundry room, worried expression on her face. "Sir?" she asked. She shrieked as Elliot picked her up and twirled her around, grinning like a crazy man. Then she watched as Elliot and Mia raced to their vehicle.

Arriving at Escala, the siblings were over-excited and talking over each other, barely coherent. Taylor finally shouted at them to STOP. They calmed down, panting, and sat down in Christian's study.

"Taylor, did you get anything off the city cameras yet?" asked Elliot.

"Look, Christian is upstairs. When he comes down, we'll begin. Okay?" Taylor asked. With great difficulty, Elliot and Mia agreed. Taylor was so calm and composed that they thought perhaps something wonderful had happened and their idea was no longer necessary. Finally, Christian came to the door, appearing perplexed by his sibling's agitated appearance.

"What's going on? Everything okay at home?" he asked in a worried tone.

"No. Everything is fine and has been for years," Elliot wryly replied. "No! Of course, nothing is any finer at Grey Manor than it is here. Family…remember? Anyway, Margaret the housekeeper thought of something that hadn't occurred to any of us regarding a picture we could show to the druggist. But first, we asked Taylor if the Portland PD got anything off the city cameras."

Taylor looked rueful. "The cameras showed that the man came in a cab and left in a cab. The cab company picked him up at a bus stop a mile away and took him back to the same bus stop. In that area, there were no camera in working order to record this guy. Dead end."

Christian sat heavily in his chair. "Okay," he said, calmer than anyone expected him to be. What did Margaret the housekeeper suggest," he chuckled…somewhat amused that a housekeeper could offer better clues than his team of security experts.

"She said," began Mia, "that on an episode of Law and Order, they used a sketch artist. So, we figured that the Portland PD could get the druggist in to describe the man."

Getting no reaction from Taylor and Christian, Elliot continued. "Don't you see? Instead of taking a picture to the druggist to ID, we take the druggist to the sketch artist for an ID?"

Taylor and Grey looked at each other.

"I suppose it's worth a try," said Taylor. "I'll make the call." He disappeared into the security office down the hall.

"I really thought we'd get more of a reaction out of you, Christian," said a bemused Mia.

"Yeah. What's with the sighing and the so-so attitude?" asked Elliot.

"One. I don't think a smaller department like Portland PD would even have the funds for an in-house artist like that. And two. I don't think that most police use sketch artists anymore. There are so many ways to ID people now that there isn't enough work to justify keeping them on staff."

Elliot and Mia sat looking glum. Their balloon shot down. They felt further deflated when Taylor returned to tell them pretty much what Christian already had.

"Well, just because the Portland PD doesn't have anyone doesn't mean that a larger department wouldn't. We could call around until we find one and fly 'em across the country if we have to. You have jets and a lot of money. Or, hell, I'll do it."

Now, conversation stopped and everyone turned to stare with incredulity at Mia.

"Sis, you gonna bake a cake with our guy's mug on it in frosting," teased Elliot.

Nudging him hard with her elbow, Mia dared him. "I've never met all of your security men. So pick one I don't know and describe him to me. I'll bet that I can draw a pretty good likeness."

Everyone looked deeply dubious.

"Mia, sweetie, I really appreciate that you want to help and that you need Ana back. I do. But since when can you draw? Anything?" asked Christian.

"I took several drawing classes in college. I've always been a drawer. In one of our classes, we had to draw people from memory and I was very good at it."

"Well, drawing people from memory is one thing. Drawing an accurate picture of someone you've never seen from a description of a witness is a whole other thing," said Christian.

"I've seen sketch artists at work a few times, a long time ago," said Taylor. "Besides the witness memory, the artists had to use a book full of eyebrows, noses, chins and so on to help the witness. I don't even know where we'd get one of those anymore. They're probably buried deep in the bowels of some old police station."

"Get me a pencil and a blank piece of paper," Mia asserted with more surety than she felt. What she felt was that she was about to make a proper fool of herself that she could never live down….and about such an important topic. But she'd spoken up firmly and couldn't back out now. All she could do was try, be gently mocked and go to her room to cry about being such an idiot.

Christian shrugged. Reaching into his desk drawer, he retrieved a pencil and a pad of paper. "Does it matter if there are lines?"

"Just give me a sheet from your printer behind you, dummy, and I'll use the pad underneath. Now, pick a member of your army whom I haven't yet met."

"Okay, Evans."

"All right, picture him in your mind. Is his hairline higher or lower?"

"Hmm…I'd say lower. He still has a good head of hair…oh, and it's curly."

"He has rather bushy eyebrows, too," said Taylor. Mia concentrated on her drawing.

"Go on. Are his eyes large or small, deep set or average?" As Mia continued grilling Christian and Taylor, they found themselves impressed with her questions. Even if her drawing turned out to be Shrek , they figured that she'd make a great witness if anyone ever needed one.

Thirty minutes later, waiting now with bated breath, the three men watched Mia as she finished up.

"Now. Is this an accurate depiction of Mr. Evans?" she asked. She looked confident…Ana had once advised her to fake 'til you make it…though she was anything but. In fact, she thought this Evans guy was rather homely…at least as she'd drawn him. She lifted the paper from the pad and turned it around for all to see. Instead of laughter and mockery, she was met with stony silence. Her heart sank.

Taylor pulled out his phone and texted.

"What are you doing?" asked Mia. She wondered if he'd called Evan to come to the study so that Mia could see how far off she was. She was partly right. A few minutes later, a man walked into the room. It was the man in her picture.

Taylor took the drawing and showed it to Evans. "Look like anyone you know?" he asked.

Evans looked surprised. "Well, it's a picture of me but why? Did I do something? Am I in trouble?" Evans had lucked into this job and, it being a darn good one, he didn't want to screw it up.

"No, no, Steve. This young lady here drew from our description of you and we were just checking its veracity. That will be all. Thank you," said Taylor as he indicated that Evans could leave.

All three men stared at Mia as if they'd just met her. Christian and Elliot, especially, were gaping.

Taylor was more circumspect in his judgement of her talent.

"We have to remember that I, especially, but also Christian have experience in training our memories to be meticulous. We've had to be highly observant in our lines of work. This druggist might be able to ID a photo but can he be as deliberate in describing what he's seen?"

"Mia was very scrupulous in her questioning. She prodded us several times for clearer details. Even if we find a working sketch artist, it might take days for them to get to Portland. Having Mia question the druggist can be _now. _I say we get down to Portland asap," urged Christian.

Mia could hardly believe what they were willing to have her do. She was caught between elation and fear. She could help or she could badly hurt their chances of finding this kidnapper. She grabbed her drawing, got up from her chair suddenly and ran out of the room to find the nearest loo. The startled men just watched her run.

"Let's give her a minute. I think that she's nervous. She really loves Ana and suddenly she finds herself in the position to really help her. Give her time to calm down," counseled Elliot. "Christian, isn't it about time to pick up Trev? He's used to you doing that and he'll be upset if someone else comes for him. I can drive if you think that you're too jumpy."

"I can drive but I would appreciate if you came along. Keep my mind on the driving," said Christian.

"I'll get Gail to talk with Mia. She'll be calmer when you return and Trev will be thrilled to see her," said Taylor.

Christian and Elliot rode down to the garage in silence, each keeping their own counsel. Christian always felt calmer and in control when he drove his R8. He moved Trev's car seat to what would laughably be called the backseat but it fit in the middle. As he and Elliot turned left out of the garage, the air was thick with tension and apprehension.

"Okay, Chris, what do you really think?"

"I'm excited but Taylor made a good point. Asking us for a description of a man we both know well and asking the druggist for a description of a man he's seen once a couple of days ago? I think that I got too excited. It could be too much for Mia. And since when can she draw?"

"I know. Floored me, too. I mean, I've seen her, on occasion, sitting outside with a drawing pad but I've never paid much attention to what she was doing. Come to think of it…I remember her showing Ana a picture she'd drawn and Ana was quite enthused about her talent. 'Course, I thought it was just Ana being…well, Ana. Now it turns out that you and I were being, sadly, you and me."

"I feel a little stupid, too. I've been self-involved for so long. I wonder what else I've missed about my own family. You know, Ana was always remarking on things about you lot and I'd think, huh?...

I didn't know that Mom liked daisies. I mean, Dad's been giving her roses for as long as I can remember when, in reality, she prefers daisies."

"You're not the only one who's been negligent. Did you know that Dad's favorite bourbon is _not_ Jim Beam?"

"It isn't? I've been giving him Jim Beam for years. He never said a word. So what _is_ his favorite bourbon?" asked an astonished Grey.

"Maker's Mark."

"What? Ana told you that?"

"Yep. I didn't believe her. Whenever we drink with him, it's always Jim Beam and if you look at his shelf of liquor, it's always Jim Beam. But when he drinks alone, it's Maker's Mark. _And_ if you look behind the bottles of Jim Beam prominently displayed, you'll find Maker's Mark. Ana said that he just never wanted to hurt our feelings."

"Good grief," Christian laughed as they pulled up to GEH. They waved to the guard and walked to the executive elevator.

"Ever miss this, Chris?" asked Elliot.

"Nope. No, bro, I really don't. In fact, I'm so lacking in ambition these days that I don't remember what I ever saw in it. It's just like BDSM. I blank on what it meant to me."

"I know what you mean. I spent so many years whoring my way through Seattle and now I'm clueless as to its appeal. I'm just Kate…all the way."

As they got off the elevator at the daycare floor, they could see Trev ahead, his little hands and face pressed up against the schoolroom glass, watching for them. Check that. Watching for Ana. They saw his face fall a bit but then he brightened up again.

"Daddy! Uncle Elliot! Hi!" he screamed as he threw himself at Grey's legs. With practiced ease, Grey flipped his son in the air and unto his broad shoulders. His son's giggles were so like Ana's. They greeted his teacher, asked if there was anything to report and nodded when she said that his distress over his mother's absence was becoming more apparent. When they entered the elevator, Christian swung Trev around and held him in front for an eye to eye chat.

"Son, you don't have to disguise your feelings, ever. Do you understand? I'm the grownup and I'll do the protecting. That isn't your job. Uncle Elliot and I know that you're disappointed that it wasn't your mother who came for you today. You don't have to hide that. You're a little boy and I take care of you…not the other way around."

"Okay. But sometimes I take care of you, too, Daddy," insisted Trev.

Christian could only smile at his adorable son, very definitely Ana's boy.

CHAPTER 58

Gail had found Mia sitting on the powder room floor some time after Christian and Elliot left. Taylor had asked his wife to look in on the girl while he hid in the security office. As with Ana and Christian, Gail somehow brought out Taylor's emotional side but dealing with anyone else's hysteria was not in his wheel house. He failed to understand how his wife always knew what to do with people.

Gail sat on the floor with Mia, took her hand, and then sat there quietly, saying nothing. Mia sniffled a bit and stared into space. After a time, she spoke in a shaky, soft voice.

"Did Taylor tell you what I did?" she asked Gail.

"No, he just asked me to look in on you."

"Elliot and I suggested that we use a police sketch artist to get a picture of the kidnapper and they said that such people are rare these days and I said that I'd do it and I did and now they want me to get in the flying tin can and go to Portland and have the druggist describe the man while I draw him but they pointed out the man they described to me is very familiar to them and that they are both good witnesses because they're highly observant and that may not be the case with the druggist but Christian still wants to try because they don't have any other leads and what if I blow it and Ana's chances and….." All the words came rushing out of Mia in a tumbling mess that was barely comprehensible to Gail. She picked up the piece of paper that sat on the floor. She was puzzled.

"Is this what you drew?" she asked Mia.

"Yes."

"He's new, just started here a couple of days ago. I've only seen him once and he's mostly been stationed in the garage where they start all the new guys. Taylor and Christian didn't even interview him because they've been too busy. Ryan recruited him and is currently overseeing his performance. I doubt that Taylor even talked to him. He's probably seen him just a bit more than that druggist saw the man who bought the inhalers. Telling you that Evans is a familiar face is hooey. Of course, they are correct that they are quite observant but that is the extent of their knowledge of this man. I saw him once in passing and yet I know that this is definitely an accurate telling of his face.

"Really, Gail?

"Yes, dear. Really. Taylor said that the druggist was very suspicious of the man buying the inhalers and that the only reason that he allowed him to do so was that inhalers are not addictive and that they do not give a person a high. Otherwise, he said that he certainly didn't like the look of the fellow and his nervousness put him on high alert. Sounds like this druggist was pretty observant to me."

"Oh, Gail. You are such a treasure," Mia exclaimed as she threw her arms around her.

Gail laughed and said, "Well, at the moment, _you_ are the treasure, my dear. Now you pull up your panties, go forth and save the day!" Then, more seriously, she added, "Please do what you can to bring our Ana home."

Mia nodded and kissed Gail's cheek. Mia had known Gail for many years, of course. She had been dropping by at least once a week since Christian had moved into the penthouse. She had her own room upstairs. She come by to complain that her shopping trip had not gone well or that it had and now she was completely depleted. She'd make Christian watch as she modeled her new things and she'd push and push until he talked with her a bit. She knew that Christian adored her. He always had. Her mother had told her that she and Carrick were quite nervous about bringing Mia into their household. Elliot was rambunctious, breaking something daily. Christian was mute, angry and usually in his room. They didn't even know that Mia was coming.

Grace and Carrick thought that they were done with adopting since they'd brought Christian home. He was really a handful and they felt that all their energy had to go to helping him overcome his horrible start in life while still making sure that Elliot felt their love. But then they got a very unexpected call. Adopting a newborn was getting to be unheard of; they were simply too rare and every couple wanted one. So when they got the call that a baby girl had been born to a crack addict and that other couples were wary of dealing with the possibility of an addicted baby, well, the agency had thought of them.

Would they please give it a try? She was crying all the time. Nothing could soothe her and they feared putting her into the system. Grace and Carrick could not refuse. So, on the spur of the moment, they left their boys in the care of their third terrorized nanny and rushed off to the hospital.

In the car, they looked at each other with "what the hell are we thinking" expressions on their faces. They talked about all the issues with which they were about to deal. While the other couples heard the word "addicted" and ran, Grace knew all the problems they were about to deal with. She told Carrick so that he could say no if he wanted to. He blanched at each new revelation but was firm that they see the baby before they decided. Of course, it didn't need saying that they would take her. She needed them.

They walked into the agency with trepidation. Holding hands tightly, they waited. After just a few minutes the woman who'd given them Elliot emerged with a tiny bundle in her arms. They took one look and they were hooked. They sat through a lecture about dealing with crack babies even though Grace knew much more about it than the social worker did…but they weren't really listening anyway. They were lost in the baby's emerald green eyes, her black hair and her beautiful face. They had been given a great gift, they knew.

They were told that the mother had wanted to name the baby Mia. They were also told that the mother had died shortly after Mia's arrival. Weakened by crack, her ravaged body couldn't survive childbirth.

When they walked in the door of Grey Manor, they were nervous as all hell. Even Carrick, who had the manner of a Clarence Darrow, was sweating this one. The boys were fighting again and again Christian was winning. Still, when their parents walked into the room, carrying a strange bundle, they were curious.

Elliot was the first to look. His face crinkled with disgust. "I've seen one of these before. Jed, at school, has a baby brother. It's loud and it poops really disgusting stuff and Jed's parents don't even know that Jed is around anymore."

If that was Elliot's reaction…Elliot, their sweet, amiable oldest…then Christian was sure to run off to his room, never to be seen again.

He looked down at the tiny baby. He didn't have any reaction at first. Grace told him that it was a girl and that her name was Mia. What did he think, she asked. She was prepared to quickly snatch the baby out of harm's way if Christian tried to hit her. Instead, he slowly reached over and ran his fingers over her cheek and opened his mouth and out came the first sound, besides screeching, that his family had ever heard.

"Mee a, Mee a" he smiled! Grace and Carrick looked at their son in wonder. Carrick had him sit on the couch and Grace had him place his arms just so and then she lowered the baby into his arms. He seemed to instinctively know how to hold her. He adjusted his grip with support for her head and bottom. He rocked back and forth, saying her name over and over.

"Ha, ha," sneered Elliot. "Chris is a sucker for a baby. Well, he can change all the diapers and listen to her cry all day. I'm gonna go play trucks. I'm building a…a…a building." Then he marched off with determination. He eventually came around. He was, after all, curious…and then he found that he could make the baby laugh and, gosh, he loved an audience. By the time Mia could crawl, he was teaching her how to drive a truck.

For his part, Christian wanted to take care of Mia all the time. He resented having to go off to kindergarten, thus leaving his charge. When he got home, first thing he ran to find Mia. He'd pull her right out of the nanny's arms.

"I'll take care of her now," he'd say. He was talking all the time now. He'd check her diaper, change it if need be. He'd heat up her bottles and test the temperature on his wrist. He'd feed her and rock her and talk to her and play with her. He pretty much ignored Elliot, who was grateful for the reprieve…..at first. He began to resent the loss of his brother's "companionship" and would poke him just to agitate him. He eventually came around to understand that if he wanted Christian's attention, he'd have to accept the girl's presence, too. And so, they became three.

Sometimes, as Grace and Carrick watched them, they marveled at how they all seemed to have melded together. It all changed when Christian was 15 and suddenly distanced himself from his family. And they didn't get him back or know where he'd gone for another 12 years. And the mystery was solved because of….Ana, of course.

CHAPTER 59

Christian had just put Trev down for his nap, following lunch. He'd thought it through and he wanted to proceed with Mia doing a sketch of the kidnapper. He told Taylor to get a hold of the druggist and see when they could meet.

"I'm afraid that I have something in the way of bad news, Christian. This is the drug guy's day off. He's off fishing somewhere."

"Well, does he have a phone with him?"

"Yes. A mobile…but I don't know about its range, depending on where he's gone. We're waiting on a callback from his fishing buddy's wife. Wait, maybe that's it now." Taylor picked up and moved off a ways. Then he returned, looking dubious.

"Well, we have a phone number. Let's see if it works. If not, then we'll have to wait until late tonight when he returns home."

"I can't wait that long, Taylor. Every moment is precious. Every moment could mean Ana's life. If we have to, we'll take Charlie Tango and search for him."

Taylor hated that tin can as much as Mia did. He didn't relish flying around in the dark with an unstable Christian at the controls. He prayed silently for coverage. After all, he rationalized, the guy's been fishing before and surely he wouldn't take a phone that he didn't expect to work.

Taylor was right. "Hello, who is this? I don't usually answer unknown callers so make it fast. I'm fishing."

Taylor broke into a smile for Christian's sake. "Mr. Carroll? You're a pharmacist at the Portland CVS who sold inhalers to a man a couple of nights ago? Is that correct, sir?"

"Yes, I did. I've already told everything to the police. Who is this?"

"My name is Jason Taylor, sir," Taylor answered, "I'm the head of security for Christian Grey."

"_The_ Christian Grey? Wow. What does he want with me? Should I be running for the Canadian side of the river?"

"No, no, sir," laughed Taylor, "we need your help. You told the police that if you saw a picture of the man to whom you sold all those inhalers that you could probably ID him. Well, the only suspect we had killed himself and it wasn't that man. We have a sketch artist to whom we'd like you to describe the man as best you can and, as I'm sure you can understand, this is a matter of some urgency. Do you think that you could give a description over the phone?"

Christian's head shot around and he stared at Taylor. What the hell?

"It'll have to do because I'm out in the middle of nowhere. I won't get back until tomorrow night and I can't even tell you how to get here. My buddy and I just kind of wander. Sometimes I marvel that we always find our way back," he laughed. "Your sketch artist there with you now?"

"Yes, she is."

"Well, put her on and we'll get started. I remember him clearly because it was clear that he didn't want me to, ya know?

"Do you have enough charge for about 30 minutes?"

"Yes and my buddy has a phone with him and we always bring a portable charger just in case. Imagine, people used to go fishing with just a rod and reel," he laughed again. Taylor was feeling hopeful.

"We truly appreciate your help, sir. We think that this man is a kidnapper or, in this case, a wifenapper. My boss is very anxious to find her. Please stand by." He put the man on hold and called for Mia.

Mia's confidence had returned, thanks to Gail. She took a seat, a pencil and a blank piece of paper and pressed speak on the phone.

"Mr. Carroll, my name is Mia. I'll just begin with asking questions. Okay?"

For the next 45 minutes, Mia was a consummate professional. Everyone watching was agog at her composure, her careful questioning of Mr. Carroll. Her pencil never wavered and her hand never shook. She made minute corrections as she went along. To keep from disturbing her, all stood back. Christian was more or less _held _back by Elliot who constantly whispered "patience" in his little brother's ear. It was getting later. Ana would have to be captive another night.

"Okay, Mr. Carroll. Hopefully, this will suffice. If we need you again, we'll call. Hope you catch the big one." Mia was just being nice. She thought fishing was brutal. At least shooting an animal was quick and done while fish were stabbed with hooks and then suffocated. Pure terror, she thought…but you don't tell that to the man who might hold the key to saving your sister.

"Okay, here it is. I suppose that we start pouring through mugshots, looking for a match." Mia held up the picture. The men gasped. Elliot hadn't seen him since the Coping Together Ball where he'd terrorized Ana but Taylor and Christian had seen him earlier in the week. He'd fooled them.

"What? Do you know him?" Mia asked.

"Honey, I'm going to buy you whatever car you want and set you up in a business to drive it to," beamed Christian.

"Oh, please. I could get that out of you anyway…just by refusing to go home," Mia laughed. "So, tell me. Who is this?"

"Do you remember," Elliot asked, "that guy who kept vying with Ethan for your attention at that ball five years ago? Thank god you had the sense to choose Ethan. This is his dad, Jack Hyde."

Mia gasped. "Isn't he the one who showed you the cabin in the woods. What chutzpah! Such an egotist that he didn't dream that he'd get caught. Now, go get him. Get Ana. I'm coming, too!"

Taylor put a hand up for quiet. "It isn't that simple…and no, Mia, you're not coming along to the possible scene of a crime. Keep Gail company, please. She'll be crawling out of her skin. Your turn to hold _her_ hand."

Mia slumped back in her chair and pouted. Christian picked up and hugged her hard. "I'll never be able to thank you enough. Mom and Dad are going to hate how much I spoil you. You're already beginning to smell."

Mia whacked him hard on his arm but with arms like Christian, he didn't feel a thing.

"Even though we now know who, we still don't know where," reminded Taylor. My hunch is that Ana is being kept in the vicinity of that cabin, however. We made a really thorough tour through that room and found nothing that indicated that she was hidden there. Still, he could be accessing a hidden space from somewhere nearby. We need to do reconnaissance first and then wait. First things first. Where is he now?

CHAPTER 60

Jack Hyde was whistling as he drove his son's old pickup truck down the highway. Everything was going well and now he was on his way to visit his girlfriend. She was growing weaker. In fact, he had to urge her to eat. He needed her to be strong…physically, that is. BDSM sessions were not for the frail. Of course, he would have to ease her into it but in time she'd be ready. He could wait. After all, he could hardly believe that she was finally his.

The Greys thought the body in the grave was hers. It had been in the papers. A sad, sad picture of pathetic Christian Grey, held up by his brother on one side and his father on the other, standing at Ana's graveside. He'd brought the Seattle Nooz with him to show Ana that it was time for her to give up on rescue. They wouldn't be looking for her anymore.

He himself had garnered a picture in the Portland version of the Nooz, standing over _his_ loved one's grave. When he left everything behind to live in Mexico, no one would be suspicious. First, his beloved wife, Doreen and now his beloved son, Ian. He chuckled to himself. Beloved, indeed. More like anchors around his neck. Doreen had never loved him. From the beginning, she'd told him that he'd never amount to much. He'd gotten his law degree at night school, for heaven's sake.

He'd struggled along for years, building a mansion with Wentworth money, enduring the way they looked down their noses at him…until he was finally able to dig up some dirt on Jim Rodgers and con his way into the law firm of Rodgers and Dallas. Old man Dallas wasn't happy but he agreed, mostly because of Hyde's familial connections. It wasn't a great firm but it was a partnership and to outsiders, the word "partnership" was glamorous. Hyde was also able to bring in a lot of business through his BDSM connections. He'd only have to hint that information like that could sometimes get out and one should have legal protections in place before his prey was begging for him to be on retainer.

Now he had his Cayman accounts and his Mexico bungalow, complete with dungeon, _and_ his freedom.

Tonight, in addition to the newspapers, he had something special for Ana…a gift from Elena Lincoln all those years ago. He and Elena had been kindred spirits…as kindred as two people who lived only for themselves could be, that is. He was bitter. She was bitter. They clinked glasses of whiskey together over their bitterness. His wife was loathsome. Her husband…ex-husband…was a crude bore who'd never loved her…had, indeed, beaten her half to death over a dalliance with a teenage boy. And now, the boy she'd saved from himself…the boy she'd given everything to…wanted her out of his life completely because he'd "fallen in love". What a farce.

They'd clinked glasses again over the farce that is romantic love. Then they'd each retired to their private playrooms at The Black Cat to have their fun. Before he left that last night, before her death, Elena had given him a gift. He was to use it to ruin Christian Grey and his whole snooty family. Elena had impressed upon him that he use the gift to bring maximum pain to everyone, especially Christian and his mother, the saintly Grace Grey.

Well, tonight he would do her one better. The gift would break Ana, the woman who thought she had a right to Elena's prize pet.

Ana was sucking hard on her inhaler. Her head hurt so badly. And she thought her mind was going. She no longer had any sense at all of how long she'd been down in the dark. It could be a couple of days or it could be a couple of years. She rarely ate so trying to judge by the amount of food left didn't work. Besides, since Hyde had removed the lightbulb from the fridge, she couldn't see the food. She could only dip her finger in the contents of any carton. Sometimes, the smell was such that she feared that it had gone bad. If it had gone bad, then it would mean that she'd been imprisoned for some time. She had a few paper cups from which she drank and even the water didn't taste right. Still, she drank. She knew that if she didn't take in liquids, she'd be dead within three days.

Hyde seemed to come by a lot or, again, perhaps that was just her perception. He'd flick the light switch and call out, "Sweetie pie, daddy's home. Up and at 'em." What a jerk. Still, she would have to appear not totally repulsed. She'd ask what day it was but he'd only say that it wasn't important. She'd pretend to cry to get what she wanted but lately she wasn't pretending so much. She missed Christian so badly, she'd begun to imagine that he was there in the dark with her. She'd talk to him.

"Christian, how much longer do I have to stay down here. I'm so lonely. I need you. I need Trev. Is he well?"

"Soon, darling. I'm coming. It's just taking longer than I thought that it would. Trev and I miss you so much. We're struggling without you. Please be brave and hang on a while longer. Don't give up on me. I won't give up on you."

"Who are you talking to, Anastasia?" a voice in the dark asked. Suddenly, the room was blindingly bright. Ana couldn't see for a minute. Then there was a shadow over her and she looked up into the evil visage of Jack Hyde. She rolled over and vomited on his shoes. He jumped back but it was too late to avoid the cascade of puke. It took every bit of her self-control not to burst out laughing.

"Geez, what is it with you? You soil yourself, you vomit." Jack slipped and slid over to the kitchen sink and took a wet towel to clean himself. Ana lay there wiping her lips.

"Here," Hyde ordered, "suck on these mints until I can stand your breath. Why aren't you brushing your teeth?"

"Because I can't see in the dark and I'm disoriented. I'm afraid that I'll fall as I feel my way around and not be able to get back to the bed. The floor is freezing and I can't lie there long without getting ill. Do you want me to be ill?" she said petulantly.

"No, of course not. I want you to be healthy and strong. Which you won't be if you don't eat something. Why aren't you eating?" He seemed genuinely perplexed.

"Again," she explained patiently, "I can't see in the dark. The food smells funny. I don't know if it's gone bad and if I eat bad food, I'll fall on the cold floor and die." So there, she thought.

Hyde threw the bag he'd been carrying unto the bed and walked over to inspect the food. Ana sat up and grabbed the bag. Maybe he'd brought fresh food of some kind. Hyde, meanwhile, pretended to look into the fridge while he was really checking out Ana's reaction to the bag's contents. He was pleased to see her eyes grow big and horrified.

"I thought that you might find the news interesting. I'm sorry but I warned you that you would not be looked for any longer. You've been buried, you see. Six feet down. Deader than dirt," he laughed.

Ana stared at the picture of Christian, suffering. She began to shiver violently. Hyde mistook it for cold. But Ana was angry. He'd broken her husband's heart and left her little boy without a mother…again. Now she had nothing to lose.

"Before you break down in tears over that arsehole's pain, take a look at the other pictures in that bag," prodded Hyde.

Ana sat further up in bed, swinging her feet off and unto the floor, barely noticing the cold concrete.

There were pictures of a young man. It took a moment for her blurry vision to recognize him as Christian. Hyde sat down next to her, on her pillow…the pig, she thought. Get your butt off where I lay my head.

Hyde picked up pictures of Christian being whipped and hung from the ceiling of a dungeon with a ball gag in his mouth. His favorites, however, were the ones of Christian doing the whipping and fucking. Ana gasped and dropped the pictures on the floor. Hyde bent down to pick them up.

"Hey, you missed this one of him coming in Elena's mouth. Pretty cool, eh? And what about…." Suddenly he stopped and reached for his throat, trying to pull the plastic strip away from his skin while Ana just pulled harder. When he bent over, she'd slipped the slackened portion of her bindings over his head so fast that he didn't have time to react to anything but the sensation of being choked.

Ana crossed her wrists over each other and, bracing her feet against the back of the headboard, she used all of her body weight to pull the noose tighter. Jack desperately tried to grab at her behind his head but he instinctively grabbed at the plastic as well, trying to pull it away from his throat. It was sharp and cutting into his skin. The longer Ana held on, the deeper it cut. He discerned the metallic taste of blood in his mouth. He tried to fall off the bed in order to twist around toward Ana but she had practiced this in her head a hundred times, anticipating his every move. As he moved to the left, she flipped over to her right, shortening the plastic tie and tightening her hold on his neck. He couldn't breathe anymore at all…even through his nose. She had completely cut off his windpipe.

Blood ran down Ana's arms as the plastic strips around her wrist cut still deeper. She didn't care… as long as she killed Hyde. When someone came back to the cabin, they'd find the hatch open. They'd come down and find the two people dead…one having killed the other. They would know and tell Christian that Ana had gone down fighting. Hyde hadn't won. Christian would be proud of her and have a story to tell Trev about his brave and clever mother. She would not be a victim.

Suddenly, she realized that it had been some time since Hyde had struggled. Cautiously, she knelt and looked around at her adversary. His neck was covered in blood. His eyes were popping out of his head. She'd killed him. She'd actually done it. _She_ was the murderer and proud of it. She'd survived.

Breathing hard from her exertions, she unwound the plastic from Hyde's neck and stepped back to look at him. At least, now she wouldn't have to run. She could take whatever vehicle had brought him here and drive away. She felt almost giddy. She wanted a hamburger. Christian wouldn't approve. Okay, she'd get it with lettuce. She turned and stumbled over to the ladder. Each rung drained a little more of her remaining strength but finally, she could see over the top of the open hatch. She could see moonlight. She wanted to cry but there wasn't time. Two steps to go.

A hand grabbed her ankle. In horror she looked down to see Jack on the rungs below her. She brought her foot down on his head as hard as she could again and again as he tried to climb one more rung and one more rung. She took a deep breath and slammed her foot hard against his chin as he looked up at her with a maniacal grin.

His hand slipped off her ankle and he fell several feet to the concrete floor. She looked down in relief….until she heard him groan. He would be coming for her. She pulled herself up to the top step and crawled out of the hole. It was dark and she couldn't see well. She felt around for the top of the hatch. She would grab hold and wait and then crush it on his head at the right moment.

But no. The hatch was several layers of wood and concrete. She was too weak to even begin to move it. Jack was climbing up the ladder again. He was laughing. There was no time to find a weapon in the dark. All she could think to do was run. And so she did. She ran with the devil on her tail. Behind her she heard Jack reach the kitchen.

She ran off the porch and, for a moment, thought of diving into the water below but she couldn't see clearly and perhaps she'd only be diving unto an embankment of rock. So, she ran the only direction of which she could be certain. Up.

She was barefoot and the ground beneath her feet was rock and broken twigs and tree limbs. She fell again and again, tearing at her gown and her skin. While she ran, she tore her feet. The pain was unbearable but then she heard Jack laughing as he pursued her.

"Anastasia, Anastasia," he sang, "I'm coming to get you. If you stop now and don't put me to any more trouble, I promise I won't punish you too badly. If you make me climb all the way to the top of the hill, however, I'll probably be mad enough to kill." He laughed and he laughed. He had a flashlight and the beam sought her out.

She didn't feel the pain anymore…not in her feet…not in her knees or her thighs or her wrist or her head. She was numb. All she could feel was sheer terror and the need to keep moving, to stay alive. And she could tell by the strength of the flashlight beam that he was getting closer.

And then he was on top of her. He grabbed her from behind and held his hand over her mouth to keep her from screaming. He pulled her back behind a tree and into some bushes. He pulled her down to the ground and covered her mouth with his. She could taste him. She could taste her Christian.

CHAPTER 61

She'd vomited. She hadn't brushed her teeth. She tasted like heaven. Christian pulled back and held his hand over her mouth, gently.

"Shusss…," he whispered. "You must be quiet. Don't even move. Nod if you hear me," he ordered.

She nodded as vigorously as she was able. Christian stood as smoothly and quietly as a cat and moved to the side of the tree. Ana could hear Jack still coming and he was very close now. He was still chuckling. He thought that he had her. The beam came past the tree as Jack appeared. He was looking up the hill and did not see the furious fist fly out from behind the tree and into his cheek. Stunned, he fell to the ground and dropped the gun. Someone climbed on top of him and a fist smashed again into his face. This time his nose and teeth crumbled. He reached for the gun and a steel-toed work boot crashed down unto his hand. He looked up to see the fist coming down again but he was lucky this time. A strong hand caught the fist and a strong voice said, "Enough. Go back to your wife." Jack looked up behind him to the man wearing the boot. The man, his boot still crushing Jack's hand, picked up a flashlight and held it under his chin.

"Oooh, ooooh, Jack," Elliot laughed. Jack was a mess. Between Ana and Christian he was just. A. Mess. From his shoulders where blood had gathered to the top of his head when blood had begun collecting as he lay on the ground, he looked like the victim of an horrendous crime. Yet, no one felt bad for him or seemed to be rushing to his aid.

"Help me," he cried.

"Nope," came the reply from somewhere. There were men everywhere. He could see lights and boots all around. They'd been sitting in the woods, getting bitten up by bugs for hours and had no interest in Hyde's well-being. It wasn't that they were unhappy, however, bug-bitten or not. The sight of Ana stumbling and struggling up the hill had made it all worthwhile and then some. If she hadn't reached Grey so soon, they would have gunned down Hyde without a worry about it.

After a couple of policemen had cuffed Hyde and dragged him off, Elliot looked into the brush for his brother and Ana. Christian was sitting on the ground, holding Ana and rocking her back and forth. She was dazed, half-conscious, looking up at him and touching his face, murmuring "Chrissan, Chrissan".

"Come on, bro. We have to get our girl some medical, don't ya think?" Christian looked up at his brother, tears streaming down his cheeks. He nodded. Elliot reached down and picked Ana up as easily as he'd pick a flower. God, she was so light. It was like picking up Ava. He held her until Christian stood and took her back.

"We'd better get your hand looked at, too, bro. It looks pretty bad." Elliot was sure that he'd broken it. Christian didn't seem to hear, tho'. Nor did he seem to feel anything but Ana in his arms.

He cradled her against his broad chest and talked to her. As he carried her further up the hill to the car, Elliot could hear the two murmuring back and forth but couldn't make out that all they were saying to each other were their names, over and over.

"Chrissan," Ana slurred. "Ana," Christian whispered.

Trev was running at breakneck speed down the hallway toward 5A.

"Trev, Trev," called his father, "stop. Stop a minute, son."

Trev did stop and, turning back to his father, sighed dramatically. "Daddy, what is it? I want to see Mommy."

Ryan, sitting in his old, familiar chair had a sense of déjà vu. He chuckled as Christian knelt down to his son's level and gave him a last warning about being careful with Mommy.

"I **know**, Daddy. I was only running to the door. Then I be quiet. I 'member, you know." Sometimes his father required patience.

Trev continued down the hall, tiptoeing in an exaggerated fashion and, looking back at his father, putting his finger to his lips. Christian shook his head at his four-year-old wise guy. Trev waved at Ryan and pushed open the door. This room held only good memories for _him. _

Even though Ana didn't require the care necessary for a coma patient, 5A was the best room in the hospital so this was Christian's choice. Unlike Trev, it held sad memories as well as good and Christian felt a tumble of emotions as he entered. Ana was sitting up, holding out her arms to her little boy. Trev could climb up without assistance now and he did, settling himself in his mother's arms.

"What kept you? It's almost 8:00?" Ana pouted.

Christian sat down on the bed, picked up her hand and kissed it. He just wanted to look at her for a moment before he eased his way behind her and enveloped her in his arms.

"You're beautiful this morning, my love. Breathtaking."

"You're biased," Ana shyly smiled.

"Oh yeah. Still true, tho'. Sorry we're late. Had the usual tussle over vegetables in the scrambled eggs," Christian smiled, looking deep into Ana's sky blue eyes.

"I think I'm getting too old for green things in my eggs. Don't you think so, too, Mommy?" Trev looked hopefully at his mother but she was staring deep into her husband's stormy gray eyes.

"Mommy, I'm over here," chided Trev.

"Well, _**I**_ still have to have vegies in _my_ eggs, Trev," noted Ana.

Trev huffed and crossed his arms. "When I grow up, I'm never eating green things _ever_."

Christian changed position and slipped his torso behind Ana, wrapping his arms around her and kissing her hair. He felt tears brimming. Seemed like he'd cried a lifetime's worth since he'd fallen in love with his fake bride.

"Daddy, are you crying?" asked a concerned Trev.

"Just a little, son. Just happy tears. Mommy's coming home this morning."

"YAY! Let's go. Com' on, Mommy. Up! Up!"

"Hold on, Trev. We have to wait for her doctor to give her one last examination and instruction on how to care for her when we get her home."

"Gramma can be her doctor, Daddy."

"And I'm sure that she will be, Trev. We're going to stay with Gramma and Grampa for a while but first the hospital doctor, okay?"

"I go find him. You wait here." Before his parents could say nay, Trev took off. They didn't really mind.

Christian slipped around the front of his wife and suggested that they make out while they had a private moment. Ana giggled and threw her arms around his neck. They were well into a deep and passionate kiss when Trev returned, dragging Dr. Thompson along with him.

"Not again!" Trev looked up at Dr. Thompson apologetically. "They always doing that."

CHAPTER 62

Christian watched carefully and listened raptly to Dr. Thompson as he examined Ana for a final time before he could take her away from 5A…again. Her overall condition, the doctor said, was far better than one could expect it to be after the ordeal she'd been through. He suspected that Christian's nightly presence had something to do with that.

Ana wasn't paying much attention; she was focused on Trev who was babbling on about the usual…green stuff in his eggs. The doctor was explaining to Christian that special care must be taken with the soles of Ana's feet. In the relatively short run she'd made up the hill behind the cabin, her feet had been sliced up so badly that she required dozens of stitches. Then there were dozens of lacerations and bruises, now healing, that she'd acquired when she fell repeatedly. Dr. Thompson expressed disbelief that her wrists had not been slit when she used them to strangle Jack Hyde.

Suddenly, Christian got up from the bed and rushed out the door, down the hall to an empty room.

He choked back the urge to vomit and instead gave way to sobs. His emotions since rescuing Ana had been tearing him up inside. All the fear and heart ache he suffered while she was gone had been too much to let go of as yet. His mind kept going back to that night when she was taken. Ever since he'd first brought her home from 5A, he'd rarely been more than a few yards from her side...except for that trip to Beijing. She'd rarely been more than a few minutes from his sight. Yet the one time he'd left her alone, he'd almost lost her forever. He felt his heart pounding…hard…in his chest. And now he'd left her again.

He raced back down the hall. Ryan, watching him, called out that his wife was fine. The reassurance didn't stop Grey from rushing through the doors. He stopped, panting, to see that his wife _was_ fine but she looked frightened.

"What's wrong? Is something wrong with Ana?" he demanded of Dr. Thompson.

"She and Trev were just a little spooked by the way you ran out of here, Mr. Grey."

Christian hurried to Ana's side and took her hand in his. The doctor took hold of one of those hands and held his fingers on Grey's pulse while he looked at his watch. Then he took his blood pressure as well.

"Mr. Grey, your BP and pulse are elevated and it isn't just from moving too fast. It's stress. You'll be no good for Ana while she recuperates if she has to worry constantly about your heart. I'm ordering a prescription for a month's worth of meds and I'm giving you the names of a couple of good psychologists. I want you both…individually and together…to receive counseling. You've been through a terrible ordeal and you need help to talk it thru. Don't argue with me about this. Trev, you see to it that your father obeys me, okay?" Dr. Thompson smiled.

"Yes, sir," Trev promised. "I'll tell Gramma, too. Daddy always does what she says." Silently, Trev wondered if he could get his grandmother to forbid his father's continued insistence on green stuff in his food.

While the doctor spoke some more with Ana, Christian's mind wandered to that night a week ago when he flew…too fast…through the darkening skies from Seattle to Portland. Taylor wanted to wait for a relief pilot but Grey was too anxious. He needed to get to Jack Hyde. When they didn't find him at home, the logical alternative was the cabin in the wood.

Christian reflected on Jack's arrogance. Grey had been arrogant when he was practicing BDSM. As a Dom, conceit was part of his personality. When one has subs obeying every command, one comes stupidly to believe that it is his own dynamic persona that brings him to dominance over all.

Grey's arrogance was reinforced by his ownership of his own multibillion dollar business. Like Jack, Grey had believed that he could get away with anything…that, indeed, it was his due. Grey smiled inwardly. Like Grey, Jack would come to find that a woman, Ana, would soon disabuse him of that delusion.

However, if Jack hadn't cultivated conceit in his role as Dom, he would never have made the foolish mistake of showing Grey his hide-away in the woods. And he certainly would have behaved far more circumspectly with Ana. In the end, it was his hubris that was his undoing. Never thinking it possible that anyone…much less a petite woman…could take him down made it possible for Ana to escape.

When Ana was once again coherent, she told Christian about the article in the Seattle Nooz. She believed that everyone had given up her since they believed her to be dead. Grey was surprised that Ana had little to say about the blackmail photos. He had never told her, in all the months after waking from her coma, about his BDSM days. He simply told her that those days were long gone…that need deadened in him since meeting her.

"Christian, where did you go just now?" asked Ana.

"Nowhere important. Just bringing my blood pressure under control by reliving the nightmare of losing you," he tossed a look at Dr. Thompson who didn't take the bait.

Trev left to sit with Ryan, regaling his CPO with tales of train wrecks, while Christian helped Ana into her street clothes. 5A was a beautiful room and he hoped to never see it again. His confidence in his ability to protect his family was badly shaken. He'd been duped by a man with half his IQ points.

If Ana hadn't outwitted and outrun Jack, she'd still be in that bunker and Grey and all his men would still be hidden in the woods, hoping that Jack would lead them to his prisoner's cell. Unseen from the rear of the cabin, Jack could have made his visit to his hostage, closed the hatch and driven away in his truck. There would be another useless search of the cabin and more surveillance of Hyde.

Certainly, they could have imprisoned Jack himself but he was crazy and no beating or plea bargaining would have induced him to reveal Ana's whereabouts.

Ana was still weak. She ached all over her body. Her wrists were so sore that she found it difficult to even button her own blouse. Christian buttoned and zipped and tied. He shut her small suitcase and then scooped her up into his arms. When she protested that she could walk, he put her down and stepped back. She tried to take a step and cried out in pain. Christian picked her up again. The hell with the wheelchair and hospital rules. Then he, Trev and Ryan turned their backs on 5A and toward Grey Manor.

CHAPTER 63

Dr. Thompson was right to insist that Ana and Christian receive counseling. It was immediately apparent to Dr. Flynn that Ana was in better mental shape than Christian. Learning of her husband's former life as a Dom had the same effect on her as it did the first time she'd heard about it…shortly after their marriage in Las Vegas. She was relaxed and unconcerned….completely laissez-faire about the whole thing. Dr. Flynn found this attitude remarkable and kept poking away at her about it.

"How could you be so indifferent to your husband being a Dom with a playroom upstairs and subs coming and going?" asked Dr. Flynn.

"Doctor, you have to understand that mentally I was born a year ago. Christian tells me…and he never lies to me…that I had a live-and-let-live attitude about his BDSM practice the first time I learned about it. I believe that. All I have to go by is his word and my reaction to the photos that Jack showed me. He expected me to be shocked and appalled and I used that expectation to my advantage."

"How _did_ you feel when you saw those photos?"

"I didn't have a reaction at that moment because I was completely fixated on getting away. Later, when I looked at them again? Sadness. To think that my sweet, lovable husband had been put through that. He told me about Elena Lincoln and I so wished that she was still alive so that I could kill her."

"I find your forgiveness of his former lifestyle remarkable, Mrs. Grey."

"_**Forgiveness!**_ Doctor," Ana fiercely responded, "there was no need for forgiveness. How he lived his life was his business. There was nothing illegal about it, either. Nor do I care for your being judgmental. How are you supposed to help him if you think badly of him?"

Dr. Flynn simply smiled. He liked this woman. She was feisty.

"Okay. I guess we can move on. You've had an incredibly rough year. You came out of a coma with no memory. You not only had to relearn walking and talking but to rebuild your life with strangers who called themselves your husband, your son and your family. Let's talk about that."

Ana started to speak but then stopped.

"I was going to say that it wasn't so bad but that would be a lie. I had to somehow open my heart and soul in order to accept these people who seemed to care so much for me. It took me a long time to understand the concepts of husband and son and in-laws. I didn't understand love, either. I probably should have been seeing you then," she began to laugh.

"I don't know why I didn't….why no one suggested therapy. Odd. Well, anyway, I still occasionally have moments of confusion about things everyone else understands. Christian tells me that I was always highly intuitive. If so, perhaps that skill survived my memory loss. I can usually think my way through. I had to do that with Jack Hyde. It might sound silly but I'd never heard of kidnapping or hostage taking. I had to try to come to an understanding of my situation, to comprehend his intentions. I also, by that time, had come to trust Christian so completely and to have certain expectations that he would just take care of everything. I had literally never known anything else in my brief life. But, there I was, on my own. If I hadn't accepted that and gotten out when I did, there's a chance that no one would have found me."

"How did you feel when Jack Hyde showed you the newspaper article about your funeral? Did you believe that everyone did, indeed, believe that you were dead?"

"That stupid man. I'd already decided that I had to save myself and I'd been planning. Seeing that picture only solidified my conviction. Jack thought that seeing it would completely demoralize me and make me give up. Stupid, stupid man." Ana shook her head at Jack's faulty thinking.

"That's isn't to say that I wasn't scared…so scared. I've never know fear like that but I forced myself to believe that I would get away. I was fully prepared to kill him. I thought that I had but he had the stamina of a madman. When I tasted Christian…," Ana stopped, gulped and lowered her head. Dr. Flynn handed her a box of tissues. She wiped her eyes and blew her nose.

"Sorry. I guess I'm more emotional than I thought. You see, I thought that Jack had caught me and I struggled when he put his mouth on mine. I immediately recognized the taste of my husband. It was then that I just stopped trying. I knew that Christian would take care of me."

"Have you been having nightmares about your ordeal?" asked Dr. Flynn.

"Christian says that I did in the hospital but not since. I'm much more worried about him. He has nightmares almost every night and he won't leave me alone for a minute. This experience has had a much more deleterious effect on him than on me. I think it's because he has so many more memories of me and our life together. Also, he had to endure more than three years of my coma."

Ana stopped and dabbed a tear.

"He would have waited for many more," she said softly, with a slight smile. "I think he loves harder than anyone I know. It's ironic that he always thought of himself as a man who couldn't love but he has a gift for it that he doesn't really appreciate. He thinks that _I'm_ his heart but, really, he's mine. He brought me back to life and then gave me one."

Dr. Flynn had already come to the conclusion that Christian didn't know himself well. He knew that he was madly in love with his wife. He knew that she and his son were his world. Yet he accepted none of the credit. It was as if he thought that he wouldn't have been able to love were it not for Ana. Dr. Flynn felt at a loss…not knowing how to get his patient to accept his own ability to love and his own lovableness. Well, perhaps if they kept talking.

"So, Christian, how are you today?" asked Dr. Flynn.

"Never mind me. How is my wife? She tells me that she is just fine but that's like Ana. You know? She takes care of everyone else first." Christian's brow was furrowed with worry.

"You're the patient at the moment, Christian. Your wife is doing fine. Seems to have no residual trauma. Amazing, actually. She's quite resilient. I think it might have something to do with her previous memory loss. I'm assuming that she hasn't built up a history of traumas that could combine to drag her down. She refers to her life as being just a year or so long. She also gives you tremendous credit for keeping her feeling safe and loved.

"Actually, I'm more concerned about you. Are you having nightmares?" Dr. Flynn frowned.

"Uh, yeah." Christian hedged. "But I'm doing okay. I've always had nightmares. I'm used to it."

"Can you tell me about them?"

"Well, I wake Ana. I have fewer of them when I'm sleeping with her, though. Having her close soothes me, I guess. While she was…um…gone, I didn't get more than an hour or so a night. I know that she worries about me. I don't want her to have any stress."

"Well, I'm sure that she feels the same about you." Dr. Flynn smiled. Yep, he thought, this guy is going to be needing therapy for a while. Ana? Not so much. Unless she grew weary of her husband's overprotectiveness.

During their couple's sessions, Dr. Flynn saw that Christian rarely took his eyes off of his wife. In contrast to his private talks with Flynn, in his sessions with Ana he seemed comfortable and at ease. She made him laugh and he made her giggle. They were, Flynn thought, perfect for each other. Maybe he didn't need to "cure" Grey of anything as long as he was with Ana. He might do more harm than good if he kept hammering away at Grey's insecurities. In Ana's company, Grey seemed like the happiest guy in the world.

"We're going to have another baby, Dr. Flynn," said Ana.

"Really?"

"Yes and we're getting married again in a couple of weeks, too." Said Ana. "This will be our third ceremony but the first one that I'll remember…unless I get conked on the head or something. Then I guess we'll just do number four."

"Lord, don't even kid about that, honey," said Christian, shaking his head in mock dismay. All the while he was holding her hand or gently pushing a loose lock of hair behind her ear. His eyes shone.

EPILOGUE

Ava walked down the aisle, grabbing fists full of rose petals and tossing them at the ground and the guests. She stumbled before reaching her mother, the matron of honor. Elliot, best man, scooped her up and brushed rose petals from her dress before handing her off to her Aunt Mia who was smiling at her Ethan who couldn't take _his_ eyes off his fiancée.

Trev followed behind, bearing a pillow holding his parents' rings. He concentrated on his footing and bore a serious expression on his face as he stopped by his uncle. Then he turned to watch as his Mommy walked up with his Grampa Carrick.

"Daddy," he whispered, "Mommy is sooo pretty, isn't she?"

Christian smiled down at his son, nodding, the only moment when he took his eyes off of Ana.

Kate and Mia had done wonders with the great room at Ambrosia Lane. It was awash in the scent of roses. Ana was wearing a gown of gossamer chiffon with a wreath of tiny pink flowers resting lightly on her flowing mahogany hair. Her beaming smile didn't leave her lover's face. Everyone looked wonderful and the room was softly lit by the fireplace and candles but for Christian and Ana, there was only each other.

Later, approximately 10 months later, following a honeymoon and settling finally into Ambrosia Lane, their surrogate gifted them a daughter whom they named Grace Katherine Mia Grey. For a time, Christian resisted keeping Ambrosia Lane…the memories too painful. However, Taylor sagely pointed out that the perimeter of the property was now secured. Their new house was actually safer than Escala. Christian would never cease worrying about his family's safety but when Ana saw him overdoing it, she would suggest...firmly...that he have a talk with Dr. Flynn, now a trusted counselor.

Christian never did return to GEH. Ros Bailey and Franklin had matters well in hand and the globalization of Grey's company continued. Christian would get regular reports and sometimes he sat in his study and contemplated returning part time because the work could still excite him…but then his tiny daughter would toddle in looking for her Daddy and he'd wonder what he could have been thinking to miss even a day with her.

He had so many favorite times in each day. Taking his son to school. Feeding his daughter applesauce. Singing her to sleep. Driving his son home in the afternoon and hearing about his day. The list was endless.

As always and ever, the best time of every day was waking each morning with Ana in his arms.


End file.
